


A Lost Boy

by Fantasyandromancelover



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Adopted Children, Adopted Sibling Relationship, Adoption, Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Alternate Universe - Peter Pan Fusion, Childhood Sweethearts, Children, F/M, Fairies, Family, Mermaids, Peter Pan References, Pirates, indians - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:28:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 53,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28340172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fantasyandromancelover/pseuds/Fantasyandromancelover
Summary: What if you could escape to a far away world without parents? Without any rules? Without anyone telling you what to do? A world where the legend you thought you knew became the adventure you could never imagine. An age old story of a lost boy who never wanted to grow up and a wishful girl who carries a hidden kiss. Peter Pan AU.
Relationships: Gray Fullbuster/Juvia Lockser, Jellal Fernandes/Erza Scarlet, Natsu Dragneel/Lucy Heartfilia
Comments: 4
Kudos: 35





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> So this will be mostly based off of the 2003 live action film of Peter Pan but it will also have references to other adaptions of Peter Pan such as Disney's favorite, Steven Spielberg's Hook, the mini series Neverland.

The boy sat in his nursery, glaring out the open window to watch the sunset from the sky and over the horizon. Normally it would calm him down after he got angry like this but not this time. This time he was going to stay angry because he had every right to be. Or rather he believed he had every right to be. What had made him so cross was the fact that for the last few weeks his father had not been home much due to a special project he was working on. One that kept him busy from the crack of dawn to almost midnight so he not been able to spend a lot of time with his son nor anyone else for that matter. In fact he couldn't even visit with their family who had come over for the holiday.

But the completion of his father's project was drawing near and today the man had some free time from work so to make up for lost time he decided to take the boy to the park after school, where they would do all his favorite things like flying his kite and sailing his model boat over the pond. Well after school his father did take him to the park and they started to have a very fun time until one of his co workers showed up to talk to his father about something regarding their project. The boy grew impatient and rudely told the coworker to go away. As expected his father scolded him for his behavior and insisted he apologize but like most children he failed to understand what he did wrong so he refused to relent.

As punishment he cut their afternoon of fun short which only made the boy angrier. On the way home the two had a little spat which ended with the father telling his son to grow up and to stop being so unreasonable and selfish. The boy grew angrier and angrier as did his father, they both lost their tempers and said some things that they did not mean.

"I wish I had a different father!" The boy had shouted. "One who would actually spend time with me!"

"Well I wish I had a different son!" The father shouted back. "One who would actually behave himself and not be so horrible!"

The young man ran up to his room in the nursery after that. Feeling more angry than ever and hurt as well. His father regretted saying those words as soon as they came out of his mouth. He didn't mean them it was just that it's natural for people to sometimes say untrue but awful things when they were angry. He decided to apologize to his son but it would be after he gave him and himself some time to cool off. So he stepped out of the house for awhile. Unfortunately his son would not be as quick to realize his mistake as he had.

"Big brother." The boy groaned when his little sister came running into the nursery, having just come back from visiting the zoo with their aunt, uncle, and the other children. Completely oblivious to the tense moment that had taken place earlier.

"What do you want?" He asked.

"I want to tell you about the zoo." She said. "It was so much fun and there were so many animals there. I wish you would have come and look what Auntie bought me."

She laid out a book and it opened it up to reveal pages of beautifully painted, water color pictures of different wild animals.

"Aren't they pretty? I think I want to be a painter when I grow up."

"Grow up? Why would you want to grow up?"

"Because I'm too little to do a lot of things right now. I'll be able to do them when I get bigger."

"But do you know what happens when you grow up?"

"Um...I'll be able to walk down the street by myself?"

"No. When you grow up you become mean and nasty all the time. Just like Father."

"Father's not mean."

"Yes he is. He shouted at me and he ruined our day for no reason and he said that I was horrible."

"You're lying."

"I am not."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not! Father doesn't care about us anymore! All he cares about is his stupid work! He probably won't even remember your birthday next month."

"You're telling fibs to scare me again! Mother told you to stop that!"

"I'm not telling fibs. Father doesn't care because he's a grown up and grown ups don't care. So when you grow up you won't care about anyone and you'll be mean to everybody!"

"Quit it! I'll tell Mother!"

"Go ahead! I won't get in trouble because nothing I said was a lie!"

The little girl ran out of the nursery and downstairs to tell their mother what he said. To his surprise she didn't come upstairs to scold him. In fact she didn't come up at all which made him a little suspicious at first but he convinced himself that it was because they had relatives visiting so she was too busy to sort out their disagreement. Busy, busy, busy, he was so tired of everyone being too hoped that he would never grow up so he wouldn't have to worry about being too busy.

Later in the evening he along with all the other children in the house retired to the nursery to get ready for bed. They had all changed into their pajamas and nightgowns when she walked in. The lady of the house and the boy's mother, looking as fair and sweet as she always did. Truly it was no exaggeration when people said that she was the loveliest woman in their town.

"Is everyone comfortable?" She asked.

"Yes." They all answered.

"Very good." She said. She gave each of them a kiss goodnight and went to close the nursery window.

"Mother." Said the little sister. "Will you tell us a story please?"

"Yes tell us a story." The oldest girl insisted.

"I was hoping you all would ask me to do that." She said with a smile. "Because I have just the right story to tell you all."

"It's not a love story is it?" The youngest boy asked. "Because they make me sick."

"Well it has a some romance to it but it's mainly a coming of age story. One with sword fights, adventures, far away lands, pirates, lost children, and even a dragon."

"Does it breathe fire?"

"Not quite but it's still just as scary and this dragon happens to have a very peculiar appetite."

"What does it eat?"

"Oh you'll find out."

"Is it a story you read in a book?" Asked the oldest girl.

"No. You won't find this story in any books. But it's an age old story and I believe every child should hear it. Especially ones who think that it's better not to grow up and don't fully understand how much their parents love them."

She glanced over at the boy who was now very upset with his sister for opening her mouth.

The lady of the house giggled and then sat down in her chair while all the children in the nursery gathered around and turned their attention to her.

"All children grow up." She began. "Except one."


	2. Chapter 1

All children grow up... Except one.

The story about this child begins one night in the English town of Magnolia where a woman carrying a basket containing a baby boy was walking to the local shelter for orphaned boys. Upon arriving she held her baby and kissed him one last time before knocking on the door and leaving him on the doorstep with only the basket and a note which had his name and birth date written on it. Sadly though the shelter was not kind to that boy. They fed him very little, the room where they had him sleep was most un-befitting, they made him perform harsh labors around the clock, and if he was ever caught playing or laughing or doing anything they disapproved of he would be locked in his room without supper or worse whipped.

The boy knew very few kind adults in his life. In fact the lot of them were cruel which made him wonder if he would be as cold and cruel as them once he became a man? However he still found ways to remain happy even under the most bleak circumstances and a part of him hoped that not all grown ups were bad. That there were actually kind and caring grown ups out there. That his parents were one of them. He told himself a story in which his parents were good people who loved him and that the people of the shelter took him from them when he was an infant and that someday his mother and father were going to come back for him.

When he reached his thirteenth year a most remarkable thing happened. He awoke one night to hear a jingling noise like a bell and he followed it into the kitchen where he found that something had been caught in one of the traps set. But it wasn't a mouse or a rat. It was a fairy. A very feisty and somewhat rude fairy. When she first saw him she started to mouth off at him to seemingly no end but finally relented when he freed her from the trap.

Being curious as all children are he asked the fairy where she came from and why she was here. She explained that she came from another world and had come to this one to explore it out of curiosity. Though rude, she was grateful to the boy for freeing her so she offered to give him something as a reward. The boy said all he really wanted was to find his parents. The fairy could not grant that wish however she could provide him with an answer for why he was separated from them in the first place.

With a little magic she showed him the long forgotten memory of the night his mother left him behind. This led to the revelation that the boy had indeed not been stolen from his parents but left by them and this was enough to finally shatter the boy's faith in good-hearted adults. He now believed that his father and mother had carelessly abandoned him and that all grown ups were wicked creatures that he wished to never become.

"I shall never grow up." He vowed in that moment.

"Stupid boy, no child can avoid that fate." The fairy scoffed at his foolishness but upon seeing the hurt and betrayal in his face, she could not help but pity him and want to help him. "Actually there is one way that fate can be avoided."

So to escape the natural cause of growing up, he ran away or rather flew away with the fairy to a place where children never grow up. There he could always be a boy and have fun. For many years he was very happy and was sure that he would never want for anything else.

Oh how wrong he was...

But I will get back to him later. Now I must tell you about a family who lived in that town where the boy was born. The Fernandes family.

They lived in a house off the corner of Magnolia, England. There was Mr. Fernandes or Jellal as he was called by his friends, who worked at the local bank and knew the cost of everything including a hug. In his youth he had been quite the carefree and fun loving lad but upon reaching maturity he had to become more serious and practical. His wife Mrs. Fernandes or Erza was the loveliest woman in all of Magnolia, she had broken a lot of hearts on the day she married Jellal but what man could possibly compete with that of a long time sweetheart? Beauty aside she was also a kind and loving woman who adored children and always dreamed of being a mother.

When Mr. and Mrs. Fernandes tried to have children naturally it didn't go well and after seeing many doctors they realized that biological children was just not in their future. But this did not deter their dream of having a family. So after months of careful planning they decided to adopt. They had planned to adopt one but ended up adopting three. Two boys and a girl, all three who were the few survivors of a bombing that destroyed the apartment building where they had lived and killed their previous families.

Natsu the middle child was the most diligent and tough of the children with a knack for machinery and mechanics. He liked to collect gears, springs, screws, and other parts that people threw away which he would later reuse to build something. His parents were rather impressed with his talent especially at such a young age. But despite his gift in building and constructing he did struggle in other aspects such as keeping the peace and not starting fights. But sometimes he just couldn't help being rambunctious.

Romeo the youngest was the most cheerful and innocent of the children. Not a day went by when he wouldn't try to play some sort of game with anyone whether it be his parents, his older siblings, or his classmates. Now he would tend to annoy people from time to time and he found it hard to follow the rules such as clean your room, take a bath, and take your medicine. But all in all he was a very sweet child who tried very hard to be good.

Then there was Juvia the oldest and the Fernandes's only daughter. Anyone who ever saw Juvia thought that she was the most beautiful little girl ever born and the most well behaved of all the children in that family. She loved books and possessed a marvelous talent for writing and telling stories. She excelled in all her literature classes for her creative imagination and proper way of wording it together on a page. It came easy to her because ever since she was four years old she had always loved to tell stories.

Last but certainly not least was the children's caretaker Panther Lily. Now Panther Lily was not like most caretakers, for one thing he was a cat. But an extremely caring, devoted, intelligent, and paternal cat who was just as capable of taking care of children as any human nurse or governess. He loved the children and the children loved him though Jellal couldn't help but sometimes be annoyed with Lily's cat tendencies.

Yes there never was a happier family in all of Magnolia but this story is not about how the Fernandes family spent every day living happily. This is about how the Fernandes children went on their the greatest adventure ever. Their adventure started one cool autumn night, the children were in the nursery and Juvia was telling her brothers another one of her stories.

"Cinderella flew through the air far from things all ugly and ordinary and landed at the ball to meet the prince." Juvia narrated. "Only to find herself surrounded by pirates who had taken her beloved prince hostage!"

"Was she scared?" Romeo asked.

"Terrified! But angry too. 'How dare you horrid men try to harm my prince!' she said and she pulled a sword from her gown challenging the pirates to a duel. She showed no mercy and single handedly brought the pirates to their knees while winning the prince's heart again this time not only with her beauty but with her bravery as well."

"Wait a minute that's not how the story in the book goes." Natsu interrupted.

"Well I like the book version but I thought maybe I could change it to make it more exciting."

"You can't do that."

"Yes I can."

"Cannot."

"Can to."

"Cannot."

"Can to."

"Cannot."

"Can to."

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" Romeo cheered.

The two older children grabbed toy swords and began a playful duel but all too soon their fun came to an end when they heard their mother shout.

"Children bath time."

"No!" Romeo shouted running out of the nursery.

"Oh boy here we go. Lily! Romeo is trying to make a run for it again!" Natsu called.

At his words the large black cat immediately chased after Romeo with Natsu following to help. Juvia rolled her eyes and smiled at her younger brother's refusal to bathe. She was just about to go join them when she felt a cold wind blow against her. It was coming from the nursery window that had been left open. She went to close the window but when she did she saw something very odd. It was a pair of foot prints that had been left on the window ledge.

"Now how do those get there?" She wondered.

"Juvia we got him!" She heard Natsu shout from the bathroom.

"Not fair!" She heard Romeo whine. "Lily tripped me!"

"Not fair indeed." Juvia giggled before closing the window and going down the hall, forgetting her puzzlement over the footprints completely. Little did she know that those footprints had been left by a third person who had been listening to her story that night and this would not be that person's first visit to this house.


	3. Chapter 2

A few days later Erza's cousin and the children's honorary aunt, Miss Mirajane Strauss came to visit the family for a few weeks. Mirajane was a woman of high society with the behavior of a proper woman. She knew everything about what was required to fit in with society and how to be a proper lady and/or gentleman. But she certainly wasn't stuck up or snobby, not in the least.

"So how is school?" She asked the children as the six of them sat down to tea.

"I'm trying really hard." Natsu said. "My grades aren't the best but I will get better." 

"Yes we plan on hiring a tutor next month." Jellal said. 

"But I did get an A+ on my science project." Natsu said. "I put together some scraps of alloy and rocks so that when you rub them together they give off an immediate spark. This makes starting a fire much more easier." 

"How clever." Mirajane said. 

"Someday I hope to be an inventor. I'll invent something amazing. Something that everyone will want to buy and then I'll be rich. Rich I tell you." 

Everyone laughed. 

"My dear boy I have no doubt in my mind that you are clever enough to invent something amazing." Mirajane said. "But sadly not many people of high society can recognize a good invention even when it's right in front of them. I believe that it is in your best interest that you focus on getting into a proper college."

"College?"

"College already?" Jellal said. "But he's only eleven."

"It's never too early to prepare for one's future in education. Your son is a bright boy who should attend the finest college in Magnolia when he becomes a man. Speaking of education how are your lessons going Juvia?"

"I've almost got all A's it's just math I have trouble in." Juvia said. "But I just need to do good in literature because I'm planning on becoming a novelist someday. So I can write about all my adventures." 

"What adventures?" Mirajane asked.

"Well I haven't had them yet." 

"My dear you must do well in all of your studies and although your stories are the best I've ever heard and read, I'm afraid a novelist isn't really thought highly of in society." Mirajane said. 

"Why not?" 

"Well darling your stories are all fantasy themed and there's nothing wrong with that but high society prefers more realistic literature. Also there is nothing more difficult to marry than a novelist." 

"Marry?" Juvia said blushing.

"Marry?" Jellal said looking concerned. 

"Marry?" Natsu and Romeo said. "Ewwww!"

"But Mirajane, Juvia's not yet thirteen." Erza said. "How could we possibly talk of marriage now?"

"It maybe too soon now but neither one of you can deny that your daughter is growing up to be quite the beauty. I mean she already has the eloquent eyes and fair face of a proper English lady." 

"I do?" 

Juvia's parents looked over to examine her features. Looks of shock appeared on their faces when they realized that their daughter had indeed reached maidenhood. But while her mother beamed with pride over the girl's blossoming looks, her father was filled with fear of the young men his daughter may attract in the future. 

"And there, right on the corner of her mouth, is that a hidden kiss I see?" Mirajane observed. 

"A hidden kiss?" Juvia feeling the corner of her lips. 

"Yes she does have one. Just like you did Erza when you were her age." 

"Oh gross! Kisses!" Romeo gagged.

"But what's it for?" Juvia asked.

"It's for the greatest adventure ever. A first love. You keep that kiss hidden until you find the boy it belongs to."

"If I find him how will I know that he's the one?"

"You'll know. We ladies have a special power that allows us to know these things. 

"Um can we talk about something else besides my daughter kissing boys?" Jellal asked. "She's much too young."

"Nonsense. Why Erza was no older than she was when she gave you her hidden kiss."

"Mirajane!" Erza cried while blushing, Jellal blushed as well but he tried so hard to hide it.

"I still remember how pink your face turned when she kissed you. You practically shamed all the petunias in our grandmother's garden."

"I think that's enough for tonight." Erza said trying to resist laughing. "It's late and the children need to go to bed."

But once all three of them had gone upstairs to the nursery, Mirajane pulled Mr. and Mrs. Fernandes aside to have a private chat with them regarding the children.

"My dear cousin your oldest son is almost a man and your daughter is almost a woman. It isn't proper for her to share a room with her brothers. I think the time has come for her to leave the nursery." Mirajane said

"Leave the nursery?!" Romeo gasped as the children eves dropped on their conversation.

"Shhh!" Natsu hushed as he covered Romeo's mouth.

"She should also start to spend less time with her brothers and more time with girls her own age." Their aunt said.

"But all the girls my age think I'm odd." Juvia whispered.

"They're not really going to make you leave are they?" Natsu asked quietly. "The three of us have always been together."

"I know why can't we continue to share a room?" Romeo asked.

"I'm sure Mother and Father won't allow that." She assured her younger siblings. "Don't worry, no matter what we'll be together."

However despite her words the children went to bed that night fearful of what the future would hold for them but they had forgotten to lock the window and around midnight the window blew open and something flew into the nursery. It wanted to know why there was no storytelling tonight like the last time it visited so it went to investigate. It began to slowly fly around the room observing what was inside, not seeing anything that caught it's interest until it spotted Juvia asleep in her bed. It hovered over her body to get a better look at her face because she was something it had never seen before. 

"What are you doing?" A high bell-like voice asked. 

"Shh! Not so loud. You'll wake her." Another voice whispered. "Isn't she the most beautiful creature you've ever seen?"

In that moment something changed inside the stranger forever. A new interest and feeling that the stranger had never known before. 

However all too soon Juvia began to stir when she felt a hand gently touch the corner of her mouth. When she opened her eyes and her vision cleared she saw that there was a boy in her room. A boy floating over her. At first she thought that she was dreaming but after blinking a few times she realized that she was awake.

"Huh? Excuse me but who are you and what are you doing in my bedroom?"

The boy didn't answer he only flew up to the ceiling shocking her with his flying ability. Panther Lily then awoke and began to go after the intruder. Frightened by the large black creature, the strange boy flew out the open window but Lily had managed to pull something off of him. When Juvia saw that the boy was gone she went to see what Lily had caught. It was black, very thin, and body shaped. Not sure what to do with it at the moment, she rolled it up and put it in the nursery drawer.

She didn't tell anyone about the boy she saw the next day because she was sure that no one except Romeo would believe her. But that didn't stop her about thinking about him all day. During embroidery class her teacher caught her drawing a picture of him and asked to see her after school.

"Would you care to explain what this is?" Her strict teacher asked holding up the drawing.

"It's a boy." She answered. "A boy who I saw last night flying in my room."

"Is that right? Well I think this explains why you haven't been doing so well in your math classes lately and I'm sure your father would like to be informed of this."

Juvia gulped. If her father thought she wasn't doing good in school because of things he didn't believe in she was in serious trouble for sure. Her teacher wrote a letter and gave it to the post boy to deliver. When she was walking home from school with her brothers and Panther Lily she felt as though it were a death march.

"Come on Juvia I'm sure Father won't be that angry." Natsu said.

"I beg to differ. You know how he's been saying that I'm getting too old to be pretending and telling my stories. He only let's me do it because I don't let it get in the way of my school work. When he reads that note he'll think I did and he'll be so cross."

"Didn't you let it get in the way of your school work?"

"No. I didn't imagine that boy. He was real. He was in our room last night and flying over my bed."

"Right. You sure you weren't dreaming?"

"I wasn't."

At that moment she spotted the post boy on his bike and quickly tried to stop him.

"Wait! Stop!" She called running after him. "Stop! Please stop!"

The post boy headed for the bank, Juvia chased after him and Panther Lily chased after her. At the bank Jellal had a very important meeting with his boss. If all went well he would be promoted.

"Good afternoon sir." He said to his boss.

"Good afternoon Mr. Fernandes. Glad the you made it on time."

"I could never be late to a meeting as important as this."

Suddenly the bank doors burst open, the post boy ran inside with Juvia running close behind.

"Father! I can explain!" She said.

"What the devil?" He said confused.

Lily ran in as well but he slipped and skidded across the floor smashing right into Jellal humiliating him in front of his boss and colleagues. Juvia cringed at the sight, knowing full well that she had just made a bad situation worse.


	4. Chapter 3

Jellal Fernandes had never been a man with a temper before but that incident had made him the most embarrassed he had ever been in his entire life which resulted in him seething with a great rage. In the evening when he came home he was extremely furious with his children and especially with Panther Lily.

"I have been humiliated for the last time!" He said dragging the large black cat outside. "I must become a man that children fear and adults respect!"

"Jellal not so loud." Erza said.

"Jellal the neighbors will hear." Mirajane said.

"Let them hear! Let the whole world know!" He shouted angrily. "I am the master of this house hold! Not this pet!"

"But Father you can't chain Lily up." Romeo protested. "He's a member of our family."

"This is not a member of our family! This is a cat! An animal!" He said chaining Lily up much to the children's horror. "And animals belong outside!"

"Now Jellal." Erza said trying to calm him.

"Don't now Jellal me! Now Jellal will have his say!"

"Please dear remember your blood pressure. You know it's not healthy for you to get this upset and you shouldn't be taking your frustration out on poor Panther Lily."

"Poor Panther Lily?! Because of poor Panther Lily I'm the laughing stock of all Magnolia England! If it weren't for this party we were going to tonight, my reputation would ruined!"

"I think you're being a little melodramatic."

"Erza I have been far too tolerant of our children's antics lately and because of that they neglect their studies and refuse to respect me!"

"Father that's not true." Juvia protested.

"And you young lady, I'm very disappointed in you." He said turning his attention to her. "You are the oldest. You are supposed to be setting an example for your brothers. An example on how to behave and do well in school."

"But I do behave and I do just fine in school."

"That's not what your teacher wrote in her note to me. I always knew you were getting too old for those childish games and stories but I let you continue with your make believe fun because I thought you were mature enough to put it aside for more important things. It appears I was wrong."

"Father please I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

"You're right it won't happen again. Tomorrow you will leave the nursery and begin lessons with Mirajane." He declared.

"Father you can't do that!"

"Yes we're supposed to be together!" Romeo said. "Always!"

"You can't just split us up!" Natsu argued.

"I can and I will! Brothers and sisters don't stay together when they grow up and become adults. They separate and live their own lives."

"Does it have to be that way?" Juvia asked.

"That's how it's always been and will always be. You three are no different. You and Natsu will start to buckle down and focus on your education. There will be no more play, no more games, and no more stories. It's time for you to grow up!"

With that said he went back into the house, leaving the children feeling very hurt and more scared than ever for the future. You see the three Fernandes siblings had been together longer than when they were with their parents. They comforted each other when they lost their biological parents, they protected one another whenever something threatened them, and when Mr. and Mrs. Fernandes decided to adopt Juvia she only agreed to go with them if they would adopt Natsu and Romeo too. That's how they ended up taking in all three of them.

They couldn't bear the thought of being separated from each other nor could they bear to give up all the things that had made their bond so strong like their games and Juvia's stories. Did growing up really mean that they had to grow apart and toss aside what made them happy?

"Come children." Mirajane said ushering them inside. "Let's get you all into bed and let your parents get ready for the party."

That very same evening Mr. and Mrs. Fernandes were preparing to attend a party being held by the bank president. Jellal wore his best suit and tie while Erza wore a beautiful pink dress that came with a matching mink coat. He was very nervous about the party because he believed it was his last chance to save his reputation and get that promotion.

"Confound this tie!" He said as he struggled to get it tied right.

"Allow me dear." His wife said as she proceeded to fix it.

As he waited in silence for her to finish he began to think about what he had said to the children and wondered if maybe he had gone too far. He didn't mean to be so harsh with them but he was just so angry that he lost control. Still it was no excuse.

"They hate me don't they?" He said.

"Well I wouldn't say that but I would say that you might have been a little too hard on them."

"I know." He sighed. "I didn't mean to lose my temper but I have to be firm with them when it's required of me."

"I agree but really darling keeping her from the boys, is that wise?"

"Juvia's getting older. We can't keep babying her."

"I understand but you know how close they are. To keep them apart would devastate them."

"Erza you know that I don't intend to keep them apart forever. She can still see them but only after she finishes her lessons with your cousin. Also she's twelve and Natsu is eleven, so like it or not all children must grow up."

"Yes but Romeo is only eight. He's hardly more than a baby and already he has to worry about losing his brother and sister? He still needs them and they still need him."

"They're still young. They'll get used to it when they get older."

"I didn't." Mirajane said entering the room to bring Jellal his coat. "I'm a grown woman and I still miss my brother."

"I didn't know you had a brother Mirajane." He said.

"I had a younger brother many years ago. When me and my sister were still children he got into a fight with our parents. Some things were said that shouldn't have been and he ran away that very night."

"Yes I remember that." Erza said. "Poor Uncle and Auntie. They were heartbroken."

"Did you ever find him?" Jellal asked.

"No we never saw him again." Mirajane said trying not to cry. She had already wept for him so many times. "It was so strange. Mother and Father had locked all the doors but he still managed to get out of the house. It was like he completely vanished."

"I'm very sorry to hear that."

"I would give anything in the world to have my brother back. If I ever found him I would tell him how much I loved him and missed him. I would also tell him how much our parents and our little sister Lisanna loved and missed him." She felt tears welling up. "Excuse me."

She laid the coat onto the bed and left the room.

"You're right when you say that all children must grow up." Erza said to her husband. "But remember my love, we must let the children be children while they still can. Because before you know it they'll be gone and we'll be wishing that we had been given more time with them."

She finished tying his tie and kissed him lovingly.

"I'm going to tuck them in, you get the carriage ready."

Erza lit a candle and went upstairs into the nursery where she found her children doing what they usually did before going to sleep. Natsu was wearing his blue pajamas and drawing out invention notes in his journal. Romeo was wearing yellow pajamas and hugging his teddy bear close. And Juvia was sitting by the window wearing her white night gown with her hair down in waves.

"Time for bed now." Erza said gently.

The children stood up and went to get into their beds so their mother could tuck them in properly.

"Mother must you go to the party?" Juvia asked.

"Yes you don't have to go!" Romeo said.

"Father can go by himself." Natsu said.

"By himself? No that won't do I'm afraid." Erza said. "Your father is a brave man but he's going to need a special kiss to face his colleagues tonight."

"Father brave?" Natsu said in disbelief.

"There are many kinds of bravery." The red head explained. "There's the bravery of thinking of others before one's self and he's done that many times."

"You're saying he thinks of us before himself?" Natsu said. "He doesn't do that."

"If he did then he wouldn't try to make me grow up or leave the nursery." Juvia said.

"He's being completely unfair." Natsu said.

"Doesn't he know brothers and sisters are supposed to stick together?" Romeo asked. "And how could he leave Lily out there all alone? He's so mean."

"Now, now my dears don't judge your father. He loves you all more than you will ever know and he only wants what's best for you. He's made countless sacrifices for this family."

"What has he sacrificed?" Natsu asked.

"His dreams. You know there was a time when your father was a carefree man with big dreams, but he had to put them away."

"Where did he put them?" Romeo asked.

"In a secret drawer and sometimes late night he likes to take them out and admire them. But it gets harder and harder to close the drawer. However he still does and that is what makes him brave." 

"Will we ever have to put our dreams away Mother?" Natsu asked.

"We must all give up some things from our childhood eventually. Not everything but some."

She tucked the children into bed, kissed each of them goodnight, and turned off the lights.

"Mother!" Romeo squeaked when the room became dark.

"Don't worry I won't forget the night light." She placed the lit the candle she brought on a nearby shelf.

"Mother can anything harm us if the night light is on?" Romeo asked.

"No precious. They are the eyes that a mother leaves behind to guard her children." And before closing the door she said lovingly. "I love you my darlings."

She then went to join Jellal outside in the carriage which took them to the party but during the ride there she couldn't help but a feel a little uneasy.

"Jellal do you think the children will be safe without Lily?"

"Of course they'd be safe. All the doors are locked and Mirajane is watching them." Her husband assured her.

"True but I can't shake the feeling that something might happen tonight while we're gone. Maybe it's because I was reminded of what happened to Mirajane's brother but I would feel more comfortable if we had let Lily stay in the house."

"You're worrying for nothing my dearest. The children will be perfectly safe."

Little did Mr. Fernandes realize that he had made a mistake chaining Panther Lily up that night. Had he stayed in the nursery like he did every night he would have been able to keep away the strange boy that would be returning that night to collect what he had lost.


	5. Chapter 4

Two hours after Mr. and Mrs. Fernandes left, when the children were sound asleep in their beds the window blew open again like the night before and a boy flew into the nursery. He was no older than thirteen and wearing only pants made of leaves that were held up by a vine strap. When his feet landed on the floor a pink light flew up to his shoulder, this light however was actually a fairy.

"Alright Meredy we find my shadow and then we get out of here capiche?" The boy whispered.

"Capiche." The fairy replied in a high pitched jingle voice.

The two began to search the nursery for the boy's shadow. They checked the wardrobe, the toy chest, the shelves, even under the beds but they didn't seem to have any luck finding it.

"Oh where could it be?" He asked quietly in frustration.

"It's your own fault." The fairy with long pink hair complained. "If you hadn't of been staring at that girl then that horrible animal wouldn't have caught you."

"Oh shut up." 

"Why were you even looking at her?"

"I don't know. Why do you care?"

"Because you never look at me or the mermaids the way you were looking at her."

"Meredy this is not the time for one of your moods now pipe down and keep looking."

The fairy called Meredy rolled her eyes and flew around the room stopping when she noticed one of the nursery drawers shaking. She called the boy over to the drawer. 

"It's in there?" He asked.

She nodded with a smile.

"Okay on the count of three we open it. One...Two...Three."

He quickly opened the drawer. In an instant the shadow flew out startling the boy into accidentally shutting the drawer and trapping Meredy inside.

"Hey!" She shrieked. 

The boy didn't hear her. He was too busy trying to stop his shadow from getting away. It flew into the hallway with the boy chasing after it. In his attempt to catch it, he accidentally made a ruckus like noise that did not go unheard by Mirajane who was reading in the drawing room. Concerned, she went upstairs to see what all the fuss was about. Upon hearing her footsteps on the stairs the boy and his shadow hid themselves very well so Mirajane saw nothing unusual. 

She did take a peak in the nursery but all she saw were the children still asleep in their beds and a few toys scattered about on the floor. She noticed the window was open and she would have closed it but became distracted by the sound of Panther Lily clawing at the fence door. He knew there was an intruder in the house and he was trying to warn her but she did not understand so she just tried to silence him. 

As soon as she was downstairs again, the boy and his shadow came out of their hiding spots and proceeded with their chase back in the nursery. They flew around and around the room until finally he managed to grab the shadow and pull it down on to the floor. The shadow struggled but the boy was persistent.

"Oh no you don't! Come back here you! Hold still! Ouch! Why you-" Once he managed to get a good grip on his shadow he grabbed a nearby bar of soap and began trying to use it to stick the shadow back on to him but as expected it didn't work. "Come on stick you stupid thing!"

But it didn't. No matter how hard he rubbed the soap would not make it stick and the shadow mocked his failure. Frustrated and not sure what else to do, he began to cry and his sobbing woke Juvia from her sleep. She sat up in bed and she was not alarmed to see a stranger crying on the nursery floor. She was only pleasantly interested.

"Boy." She said courteously. "Why are you crying?"

Startled by her voice, he flew to the ceiling just like the night before.

"I knew it. You can fly." She said with an awestruck smile. 

The boy looked at her skeptically and he debated on whether he should stay or leave like last time. However despite his age he could be exceeding polite, having learned the grand manner at fairy ceremonies and he didn't want to upset the girl either. So he lowered himself to the floor, returned her smile, and bowed politely like a gentleman. Juvia got out of bed and curtseyed for him like a proper lady. 

"What's your name?" She asked.

"What is yours?"

"Juvia Brina Lockser Fernanades."

"That's a long name."

"Well it used to be just Juvia Brina Lockser but Fernandes was added to my name after I was adopted. So what's your name?"

"Gray Fullbuster."

"Where do you live?"

"Tendrou Island."

"Never heard of it. Where's that?"

"Second star to the right and straight on til morning."

"That's a funny address. Do they put that on the letters?"

"I don't get letters."

"But your mother gets your letters?"

"I don't have a mother." Not only had he no mother, but he had not the slightest desire to have one. He thought them very over-rated persons. Juvia however felt at once that she was in the presence of a tragedy.

"Well no wonder you were crying." She said with a sympathetic look.

"I wasn't crying about mothers!" He said annoyed. "I was crying because I couldn't get my shadow to stick on! And I wasn't crying!"

"Shadow? Is that what that thing I found was? How strange. I didn't think anyone's shadow could leave their body."

"Technically it didn't leave me. That black beast tore it off me." 

"You mean our cat Panther Lily?"

"That thing was a cat?!" He said in surprise. "I've seen smaller bears."

"He is unusually large for his species but he is a house cat. I'm terribly sorry for what he did to you but he didn't mean any real harm."

"He scratched me. Right on my ankle."

"Oh please don't be too angry with him over it. He really isn't vicious, he just thought you might try to hurt us so he tried to chase you off. "

"Why would he think that I would try to hurt anyone? He doesn't know me."

"Well you did enter our room without being invited."

"So?"

"So don't you know how rude and improper it is to enter one's room or house without being invited?"

"No not really." 

"Oh..." She said. "I suppose you're not very educated on proper etiquette are you?"

"Uh...What does etiquette mean?"

"You know, good manners."

"I have some of those. I say please and thank you and stuff like that. But I don't think your pet has any good manners at all."

"He's not a pet. He's our caretaker and he wasn't trying to be rude. He was just doing his job."

"Hey he's not around here is he?"

"No he's outside."

"Phew. What a relief." He sighed. "Now if I could just get my shadow reattached then all my problems would be solved."

He sat back on to the floor and once again tried to make the shadow stick with that bar of soap he grabbed. Juvia couldn't help but start laughing at how silly he looked.

"What's so funny?" He asked.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to belittle your intelligence but you're trying to stick it back on with soap."

"Soap? This is soap?" 

"Yes silly. Don't you know soap when you see it?"

"Of course I do but I've never seen soap like this." It was true he hadn't. The soap he was accustomed too was round, black, and had no scent. What he had been using to reattach his shadow was square, white, and smelled of lavender. "Well now I feel pretty stupid." 

"I could sew it on for you if you'd like."

"Will it stick?"

"Yep. Just wait right here."

Juvia hurried over to her nightstand where she typically kept her needlework. As she did this she couldn't help but be a little excited. Here she was talking to someone who was the type of person that came straight out of the stories she told. Part of her wished that her father was here so he would finally stop believe that her stories were just childish nonsense. It wasn't every day that you see living proof that your fantasies and imaginations are real. At least somewhat that is.

She was also excited because aside from her brothers, she had never been this close to a boy. She attended an all girls school so she didn't have much contact with the younger, non family-oriented version of the opposite sex. Sure she would see a few boys walking down the street or around the school where her brothers attended but she had never spoken to them or interacted with them. Truth be told she wasn't sure how she would have reacted to meeting a boy her age who wasn't her brother. But now she had met one, one who she happened to think was very cute and it was giving her a brand new feeling. A feeling she liked very much. 


	6. Chapter 5

From her nightstand drawer she pulled out a needle, a spool of thread, and some scissors. She then sat on the floor next to Gray and threaded the needle.

"Okay now I need you to hold still for this and it will pinch a little."

She stuck the needle through the shadow and then carefully through the skin of Gray's ankle.

"Ouch." He hissed.

"Sorry."

"It's okay I've felt worse, keep going." 

Juvia began to sew the shadow on to his ankles. Gray watched her work with the utmost fascination. He too had very little experience with the opposite sex. He mostly associated himself with boys and the few number of girls he did know weren't exactly human or close to his age. All the females on the island where he lived were either a fully grown mermaid or fairy. In fact he only knew of one human girl who resided on the island. She was the leader of the Indians and considered by many as the prettiest girl on the island but her features didn't catch his attention like Juvia's did.

He didn't mean to stare so much but he couldn't help himself. He had never seen someone so fair skinned and rosy cheeked. Or with hair that smelled of something besides forest and big blue eyes that held so much innocence. She was as beautiful as the light of day and he was surprised that something so lovely had never existed on the island. 

Once she was finished with the sewing he stood up and his shadow was instantly reattached to his entire body.

"Oh the cleverness of me." He said full of himself.

"You?" Juvia said.

"Yep. I swear sometimes I amaze myself by how smart and clever I am."

"Of course I did absolutely nothing." She said sarcastically.

"You did a little."

"A little? Hmph! Not the humble or the gracious type are you? Well goodnight then."

Feeling insulted and unappreciated Juvia went back to bed and pulled the covers over herself. Gray quickly remembered his manners and changed his demeanor.

"Uh Juvia thank you for helping me get my shadow back on." He told her. "And you know one girl is worth twenty boys."

"You really think so?"

"I know so I live with boys."

"What boys?" She asked coming out from under the covers.

"The lost boys. They're children with families who don't treat them well and if they are seen by me I take them to Tendrou Island. If they want to go with me that is."

"Are there girls there too?"

"Not really. I don't come across girls that much. In fact you're the first one I've ever really seen. Girls usually lock their windows so I can't get in, boys on the other hand typically forget to."

"You may have a point there. This week it's my brother Natsu's turn to lock the windows and he tends to be a little forgetful."

"I guess that proves my theory correct."

"What theory?"

"That girls are smarter than boys."

"You honestly believe that?"

"Well I've heard stories about baby boys falling out of their prams when their nurses aren't looking but I've heard nothing about baby girls falling out of their prams. I guess they're too clever."

"It is perfectly lovely the way you talk about girls." She smiled sweetly. "I should like to give you a kiss."

Gray did not know what a kiss was so he held out his hand to her.

"Don't you know what a kiss is?"

"I shall know when you give me one."

Juvia didn't want Gray to feel embarrassed or have his feelings hurt so she gave him a thimble instead.

"I suppose I should give you one then?" He asked not sure what this "kiss" was useful for.

"If you'd like." 

He then dropped an acorn button into her hand.

"Thank you." She went over to her jewelry box, pulled out a chain, and used it to make the acorn button into a necklace which she fashioned around her neck. "How old are you Gray?"

"About thirteen."

"You said that you didn't have a mother but what about a father?"

"Don't have one of those either. I never knew my parents. I was left on the doorstep of a shelter when I was baby."

"I'm sorry. Did you ever find out what happened to them?"

"No and I don't care to know. If they left me then obviously they wanted nothing to do with me so I'll have nothing to do with them. Besides I don't need them. I have my own family. I have the lost boys and I have Meredy."

"Meredy?"

"She's my fairy."

"But there's no such thing as-"

Gray immediately covered her mouth before she could finish that sentence.

"Don't ever say that! Every time someone says that a fairy somewhere falls down dead!" He said. "And I shall never find her if she's dead."

"You don't mean to tell me that there's a fairy in this room?" Juvia said feeling her amazement continue to grow.

"Yeah. She's a little annoying at times but she's basically alright."

"Who are you calling annoying?!" Meredy called out from the drawer she was still trapped in. 

"Oh where the heck is she?" He groaned while checking under various things in the room. "Sometimes I wish she wasn't so small that way she'd be easier to find."

"I'm right here you idiot!" Meredy called out again in frustration. But like the first time Gray couldn't hear her.

"Wow this is incredible." Juvia said. "A flying boy and a fairy in my room. I never thought this would happen. Oh and by the way I've been meaning to ask why were you in my bedroom the other night?"

"I wanted to listen to the story you were telling the night before that. About the lady with the glass slippers."

"Oh you mean Cinderella?"

"Yeah but I never heard the ending and you didn't finish it the night afterward so I wanted to see why."

"Oh. I guess I had too much on my mind to finish it that night. But the ending is wonderful. The prince found her and they all lived happily ever after."

"Nice but what does happily ever after mean?"

"Well for them it usually means that they got married."

"What's married?"

"You don't know what it means to get married?"

"No. How does that work?"

"Ummm... It's a little hard to explain but it's when a gentleman and a lady want to be together always so they promise to be together forever, they hold hands, they hug, and they...They...They..."

"They? They? They? What?"

She blushed again and started to get flustered. She was referring to a kiss again and their conversation was making her want to give him a real one. 

"Gray I should like to give you a...Thimble."

"What's that?"

She closed her eyes and leaned over with her lips puckered. Gray was confused by her actions but he decided to humor her so he closed his eyes and leaned in with his lips puckered too. Unfortunately Meredy had finally managed to break out of the drawer and when she saw what they were about to do she felt as if she would explode in anger. Unlike Gray she knew exactly what the blue haired girl was trying to do and it made her instantly envious. She bolted out of the drawer in jealous rage and began to pull Juvia's hair as hard as she could.

"Ow! That hurts!" She screamed.

"Stop! Stop it Meredy! No!" Gray grabbed the fairy and threw her into a pillow. "Sorry about that, she's not very polite."

When Meredy picked herself off of the pillow she started rambling angrily. Juvia couldn't understand a word she was saying, all she could hear was the sound of bells jingling but Gray having earned the fairy's favor when they first met, understood their language perfectly.

"What's she saying?" Juvia asked.

"She says that if you try to give me a thimble again she'll kill you." Gray translated.

"Kill me?"

"Yeah she's the jealous type but don't worry the worst she'll ever do is pinch you, bite you, or pull your hair."

"I thought fairies were supposed to always be good and grant wishes."

"Who told you that garbage? Fairies can be just as selfish and mean as people can be. In fact some would say they're more selfish and mean than people. But Meredy is a good fairy she just has trouble controlling her emotions."

Gray and Meredy then headed toward the open window.

"Where are you going?" Juvia asked him.

"Back to Tendrou Island to tell the lost boys the story."

"Alright." She sighed in a melancholic way. "Well it was nice to meet you and I'm glad I had the chance to."

"Why so glum? I'll come back tomorrow night to hear more stories."

"You can do that but I probably won't be here when you do. I leave the nursery tomorrow."

"Why?"

"My father insisted. He says I have to grow up, be separated from my brothers, and stop telling stories." 

"Typical parents." He scoffed. "Never listening to their children or caring about what makes them happy. You shouldn't have to put up with that you know."

"I suppose you're right but what can I do?"

Gray thought for a moment. From his perspective, her father was completely disregarding his own child's wants and happiness just to be cruel. Mistreating her terribly and he couldn't just leave a child to be mistreated. 

"Come with me." He suggested.

"What?! No! Don't invite her! She'll only ruin everything!" Meredy cried pulling on Gray's ear only for him to flick her away.

"Come with me to Tendrou Island." He told Juvia. 

"Tonight?"

"The sooner the better I always say."

"Isn't that a bit too sudden?" She asked. "Also how I would get there?"

"We'd fly there."

"But I can't fly."

"I'll teach you."

He gently took hold of her hand and pulled her toward the window. She almost went with him right away but then she remembered the other two children in the nursery. 

"Wait can Natsu and Romeo come too?"

"Who?"

"My brothers."

"You mean them?" He asked pointing over to the sleeping boys, Romeo sucking his thumb and Natsu drooling on to his pillow. 

"Yes." She answered.

"I don't know. I normally only bring one kid at a time to avoid mishaps. I mean I guess the smaller one wouldn't be that much trouble but that other one doesn't look very smart."

"I don't go anywhere without my brothers. Either they come along too or I'm not going."

"Fine." He agreed.

"Thank you."


	7. Chapter 6

Juvia went over to the two beds that still had children sleeping in them. 

"Natsu! Romeo! Wake up!" She called as she tried to shake her brothers awake.

"Huh? Is it morning already?" Romeo yawned. 

"I didn't do it!" Natsu said waking up. "Whatever it is! I didn't do it I swear!" 

"No one's in trouble Natsu. We have a guest." Juvia explained. 

Natsu and Romeo sat up looked at Gray who was standing across from them. 

"Who's the kid?" Natsu asked. "And why isn't he wearing a shirt?" 

"His name is Gray and he's going to teach us how to fly." His sister answered. 

"How to what?" Natsu said, not sure if he heard her correctly. 

"Fly." 

Both boys looked at Gray skeptically. 

"Okay buddy what kind of scam are you trying to pull here?" Natsu asked. 

"Excuse me?" Gray said. 

"Whatever it is you're up to, we're not falling for it so beat it." 

"Natsu!" Juvia scolded at how rude her brother was being. 

"Hold on pink hair, are you saying that I can't fly?" Gray asked. 

"First of all my hair is not pink. It's salmon and yes that's exactly what I'm saying. You can't fly." 

"For your information I can fly." 

"Yeah right." 

"Are you calling me a liar?" 

"If the shoe fits wear it." 

"You take that back!" 

"Why don't you make me?!" 

"Uh-oh." Juvia said upon realizing where this was going. 

Gray tackled Natsu and the two boys started wrestling on the floor. Despite being two years apart in age, they were equals in size and strength so it looked like there wouldn't be a winner in this fight. 

"Take it back you big mouthed runt!" Gray demanded. 

"Never you lying pervert!" Natsu retorted. 

"Natsu you don't even know what a pervert is." Juvia said. 

"I know that he is one!" 

"Shut up creep!" Gray said twisting Natsu's arm. 

"Ow! Get off me jerk!" Natsu said before biting his hand. 

"Boys please." Juvia said trying to keep the peace. 

"Hey Juvia who do you think will win?" Romeo asked. "My money is on the guy with the funny leaf pants." 

"Romeo you don't have any money." 

"Well if I did it would be on him." 

"Romeo!" Natsu cried. 

"Sorry Natsu but he looks way more experienced than you do." 

"Alright that's enough." Juvia said getting between the two boys. "Honestly Natsu why must you always try to pick a fight?" 

"I just don't like liars." 

"But he's not lying. He really can fly." She said. "Show them Gray." 

To prove his point, Gray started to fly off the floor and toward the ceiling. Natsu and Romeo's jaws dropped in astonishment which earned a smirk of victory from Gray. 

"Wow!" Romeo cried.

"I don't believe it. How do you do that?" Natsu asked.

"Hmm..I don't know if I should tell you." Gray said turning his back. "I mean you did accuse me of lying and that hurt me deeply." 

It really didn't hurt him at all but being a boy his age, it was only natural that he liked to be difficult just to annoy people. 

"Now Gray don't be cross." Juvia said. "Natsu meant no real harm, sometimes he talks before he thinks. But he knows he was wrong and he won't cause you anymore trouble." 

"Well I suppose I could let his insensitive insult slide if he apologized." 

"Me? Apologise to him?" Natsu said.

"I think that's perfectly reasonable. Natsu say you're sorry." Juvia said. 

"But he doesn't even have the dencey to wear a shirt in someone else's house." 

"I don't care. He's a guest and you were rude and disrespectful toward him. That's not very gentleman like behavior, what would father say if he were here to see this?" 

Natsu huffed and blew in frustration but he complied with his sister's wishes. 

"I'm sorry." He mumbled quietly. 

"Come again, I didn't hear you." Gray said even though he heard him say those two words perfectly well. 

"I'm sorry!" Natsu scoffed in irritation. 

"Now that wasn't so hard was it?" Gray said with a smug grin that made Natsu grit his teeth. 

"Don't push it." He warned. 

"So what do we have to do to fly?" Romeo asked. 

"All you have to do is think happy thoughts and they lift you into the air." Gray answered. "It's easy."

"You sure that will work?" Natsu asked.

"Works everytime."

"Okay then."

Natsu climbed on top of his bed, began to think of everything that made him happy, and jumped off the bed however he just fell face first on to the floor.

"Ow." He said. 

"Well it almost works everytime." Gray said. "Oh duh! I forgot about the dust." 

"Dust?" Romeo said.

"Yep! Just a little bit of fairy dust." 

He grabbed Meredy and started shaking her. Sparkling, gold dust fell from her body on to Natsu and he began to rise off the floor.

"My turn. Juvia watch me! Watch me!" Romeo did the exact same thing Natsu did except as soon as he jumped off the bed Gray threw the fairy dust on to him and he started flying also.

Juvia was last. Gray took a small amount of fairy dust and lightly blew it on to her. Soon she and her brothers were flying around the nursery excitedly while accidentally bumping into some furniture and knocking some things out the window. One of those things was a doll. Juvia's doll. It was her favorite toy from when she was younger because it had been given to her by her birth parents and it was all she had left of them after the bombing incident.

Panther Lily had been scratching at the door for hours trying to get Mirajane's attention but she had assumed that he was only trying to get inside so he could eat off the scraps from dinner that night. So using all his strength Lily broke loose from his chain, grabbed Juvia's doll, and used his nose to track down Mr. and Mrs. Fernandes. 

"So are you three coming back to Tendrou Island with me?" Gray asked.

"You mean leave home?" Romeo asked.

"What about Mother?" Juvia said. "And Father? They would be very upset if we left."

"Yeah and what is Tendrou Island anyway?" Natsu asked.

"It's a place where children never grow up and always have fun." Gray explained. "There are mermaids, Indians, pirates, a dragon, it's the greatest place you'll ever go to. 

"Dragons?" Natsu beamed with excitement, as dragons had always been his favorite animal. "Sign me up!" 

He flew out the window without any hesitation. 

"Wait for me!" Romeo said grabbing his teddy bear and flying after him.

The only child left in the nursery was Juvia. Being the oldest child, she understood the consequences of leaving better than her brothers did. She felt a little guilty and unsure about this, fearing that she might hurt her parents terribly if she did this.

Speaking of her parents, Panther Lily ran as fast as his legs could carry him until he reached the building where the bank president was having his party. He came crashing through the doors and ran straight to Jellal and Erza. He grabbed Jellal's sleeve with his mouth and pulled on it, ushering him to leave at once.

"Lily stop it! Bad cat! Let go! What the devil is wrong with you?" He said.

"I think he's trying to tell us something. What is it?" Erza asked.

Lily opened his mouth and dropped the doll at Erza's feet. She picked it up.

"The children!" She gasped. "Jellal something's wrong! We have to get home right away!"

They got into their carriage and hurried home where Juvia stood at the open window, half of her longing to fly out and go to Tendrou Island and the other half of her wanting to stay home.

Gray could understand her hesitation. Nearly every child he brought before her had hesitated at leaving out of fear of hurting their parents. But throughout the years he had seen that the parents did not mourn long. Eventually they would close their windows and forget all about the children who had flown away from them. He was certain that Juvia's would be no different. 

"Forget them Juvia." He whispered into her ear. "Forgot them all, come with me and we will never, never have to worry about grown up things again."

When Jellal and Erza arrived home the front doors burst open as the couple and their cat ran inside while alarming Mirajane in the process.

"What is it?" She asked. "What's wrong?"

But they only bolted upstairs and raced to the nursery praying that they weren't too late. Juvia was taking one last look at the nursery before she turned to meet Gray's gaze.

"Never is an awfully long time." She said.

He smiled, she smiled back and placed her hand in his. 

It would be delightful to report that they had reached the nursery in time but then there would be no story.

"Natsu! Romeo! Juvia!" Jellal and Erza called when they finally made it.

They ran to each of the beds only to find them empty. 

"Maybe they're downstairs." Jellal suggested.

But they quickly realized that wasn't the case when they saw Panther Lily standing by the open window. 


	8. Chapter 7

The night skies of Magnolia echoed with the children's laughter as they flew through the evening wind. Juvia and her brothers had always fantasized about flying even imaging themselves doing it during some of their pretend games but they never believed that they would ever experience it for real, until now of course. It was especially amazing at night because that was when all the houses and buildings were lit up, and from the distance of where they were the city lights looked as if stars had come down to earth. 

"This is amazing!" Romeo said.

"This whole thing offends reason." Natsu said. "But I don't care!"

"Everything sure does look small from up here." Juvia said as she gazed up the city below her. "Oh look there's my school and the pretty dress shop where Mother shops for her gowns."

"I can see the bank where Father works." Natsu pointed out.

"And I can see the park where fly our kites and take Lily on his walks." Romeo added.

Gray couldn't get over seeing the lit up faces of children flying for the first time. There really was nothing to compare to it really. Why you ask? Because it was a fantasy they nearly every child dreamed of living out but had been told by grown ups that it wasn't possible. But then he would come and not only prove them wrong but make a child's dream become a reality. 

That was another thing he didn't like about growing up and adulthood. Growing up meant all your hopes and dreams had to be stolen from you. If he had a doubloon for every time he heard an adult say that dreams don't come true and that you have to stop dreaming once you grow up he'd be the richest boy there ever was. But no one would take away his dreams and he would do his best to make sure that the same thing wouldn't happen to any other children. Of course he knew full well he couldn't help all children avoid that fate but that didn't stop him from trying. 

"Juvia look out for that chimney!" Natsu called which snapped the dark haired boy out of his thoughts. 

Juvia looked up and gasped to see that she was about to fly straight into the brick chimney of someone's house. Luckily Gray managed to grab her arm and pull her out of the way.

"Are you alright?" He asked her.

"I'm fine. Thank you."

"Watch where you're flying okay?" He chuckled. 

"Okay."

"Trust me the last thing you want to do is go fly crashing into something made of bricks. Hurts like crazy."

"That ever happen to you?"

"Uh..." He blushed a little in embarrassment as he recalled the first few times he tried to fly which not only resulted in him crashing into a brick wall but also a tree, a lamp post, some bushes, and the occasional duck pond. "Nope. Can't say that I have. But a few of the lost boys would tend to do it the first time I brought them over."

Juvia giggled. She could tell he was fibbing because as he spoke he kept looking downward and both her brothers always did that whenever they fibbed. But she chose not to call him out on it this time because she understood how important a boy's pride and ego was to him. Why? She doubted she would ever know but nevertheless she chose to respect Gray's desire to protect his ego and let the fib slide. 

"How much further til we reach Tendrou Island?" She asked in attempt to change the subject.

"We just keep going straight and we'll be there in no time." He answered.

"What do we do if one of us was to get separated from the group?" She asked looking back at her brothers, she had been doing so every few minutes to make sure none of them get lost or left behind.

"You don't have to worry about that." He assured her. "All you three have to do is just keep following me but if that problem does occur just look for a pink light in the sky. That's Meredy and wherever Meredy is, I'm not far behind."

"Alright but what happens if one of us falls? How long does that fairy dust last?"

"Do you always worry so much?"

"I can't help it. Sometimes things just make me a little concerned and frightened. Aunt Mirajane always said that I get it from Mother."

"Well again you have nothing to worry about because fairy dust lasts for hours but if you were to suddenly fall I promise that I will be there to catch you."

That made her smile again and he smiled back. Out of all the faces Gray had seen lit up when flying, Juvia's had to be the one he found to be the prettiest and hoped to never stop seeing. It made that new yet odd interest and feeling stir inside him again although he had yet to find a name for what this interest and feeling was. 

Meredy saw the way he looked atand she snarled in envy. She didn't understand why Gray was so interested in this girl. She didn't think there was anything so special about her but apparently Gray did and that fact alone made her heart swell with jealousy.

You see Meredy had been Gray's longest relationship with a person and he in turn had been hers as well. They were like brother and sister, always looking out for one another the best way they could. Now there was nothing wrong with a relationship like that but Meredy had a nasty habit of thinking she always what was best for Gray and in some instances she did know what was best for him but this was not one of those instances. 

She believed that Gray didn't need any other woman or girl in his life besides her. That another girl would either hurt Gray or take him away from Meredy and she was determined not to lose the only person who had ever cared for her. 

"There is no way I'm letting you come between me and Gray." She said to herself. "I won't allow anyone to take him from me. Especially not a big ugly girl like you."

And the jealous fairy immediately began to think of some way to destroy the innocent girl.

"Hey look it's Magnolia's clock!" Natsu said. "I've always wanted to do this."

He flew to the top of the large and grand clock tower and pushed back one of it's hands to make the the big bell inside chime upon being stricken. Which confused most of the residents of the city because it was not the proper time to be hearing that bell. But at the moment neither Natsu or the other children cared and so great were the delights of flying that they wasted time circling round church spires or any other tall objects on the way that took their fancy. This led to Gray getting a little impatient with the boys but for their sister's sake he wouldn't be too rude or short toward them.

Key word "too" rude or short toward them. Meaning that he let them have their fun but eventually when his patience wore thin he insisted they stop wasting time and carry on. Natsu did not like the idea of being ordered around by a boy his age and he considered trying to pick another fight with Gray but Juvia did everything she could to keep her stubborn brother from causing trouble.

"Do be more polite to him." She whispered to Natsu. 

"Then tell him to stop showing off and bossing me around." He replied.

"We must listen to him because we don't know exactly what we're doing or where we're going. He does. For once use your head for something other than mechanics."

After that talk he never tried to start a fight again. At least not when they relied on Gray at the moment. Before long the four children flew higher toward the sky, past the clouds and even a few stars until they reached the second one on the far right. In a flash of stardust they were transported to the incredible world of Tendrou Island where the Fernandes children would have their greatest adventure of their entire lives. 


	9. Chapter 8

Strange to say, Juvia and her brothers recognized the island as soon as they saw it. It floated in the center of a great sea and it appeared to be a lot smaller than it really was. But still it was a grand sight that was better than what they dreamed it would be. 

They landed on a nearby cloud to get a better look. Truly it was incredible but not as tropical as they expected an island to be. In fact it was rather cold with ice and snow frosted almost every where. 

"Why is it so cold here?" Juvia asked. 

"It's because I've been away for so long." Gray answered. "My emotions tend to control the atmosphere here. But now that I've come back things should start warming up."

To pointed down toward the island and they watched the ice thaw out all around the island while the sun let it's glorious rays shine over it, giving life to lush green plant life that soon started growing again. 

"How is it that you can do that?" Natsu asked.

"It's a little gift that the fairies gave me. That and the talent for flying without their dust. My feelings are very special."

"Special in what way?"

"In a way that controls pretty much everything about me. Where I live, how I fly, how I fight, it controls my entire life. Which is why I'm always happy."

"That's ridiculous. No one can be happy all the time."

"I am. I have to be. Happiness is what gives me my strength. If I were to become sad or unhappy I would just fall."

"Fall?"

"You know, not be able to fly or fight anymore. In other words I would fall and be at the mercy of the pirates. But lucky for me there is nothing that can make me unhappy. Still that doesn't stop the pirates from trying to kill me."

"So are there really pirates here?" Romeo asked.

"Yep! The pirate crew of Grimoire Heart also known as scourge of Tendrou Island and living proof that monsters can take human form."

"Monsters? I thought they were pirates?" 

"It's a figure of speech Romeo." Juvia explained.

"Oh."

"What are the pirates like?" Natsu said.

"Not pleasant." Gray answered. "I mean they're fun to mess with when I have nothing better to do but other times they can be a real pain."

"Are they dangerous?"

"The crew itself? No. The lot of them are as dumb as a rock except for maybe Capricorn but he's not one for bloodshed that much. Their captain on the other hand, he's definitely a challenge." 

"Who is he?"

"He calls himself Captain Hades because wherever he goes death and murder is sure to follow. He's very smart, a little insane but smart. And he's probably the most evil man in all creation."

"How do you know him?"

"That guy's had it in for me for years."

"Why you?" Juvia asked.

"Why me? I don't know. Everything about me he finds offensive. It's like the very fact I'm alive ticks him off. First time I met him he tried to hang me."

"How did you escape?"

"The details were a little messy but I think what really gave me my chance of freedom was when I plucked something from him."

"What was it?" Natsu asked.

"His eye."

"You took his eye?"

"Hey it was a life or death situation. I had to do whatever it took to escape alive. Anyway after that incident he swore that he would have revenge on me and that he'd never rest until I was dead. Blah, blah, blah, you get the idea."

"Revenge for his eye?" Natsu asked.

"Pretty much. I mean I can't think of any other reason why he would hate me so much. Heh...I wonder what the old codfish is doing right now."

The pirates of Tendrou Island were indeed an interesting bunch. They originated from outside of Tendrou Island and each of them had their own backstory. Most of them were deadly yet none too bright criminals and cut throats who had escaped jail or death row. They all knew how to use a sword, a pistol, and a cannon. They all took pleasure in lying, stealing, and killing. And they all loved to lie around the ship and drink. But what they all most had in common was that they were treated as dogs their terrible captain and as dogs they obeyed him. 

Captain Hades was a very cruel man. Very cruel indeed. If you even looked at him the wrong way he would kill you for it. Some say that he kills at least one of his crew members every month to remind everyone on board who's in charge. A sinister being who at the same time had a certain polite and sophisticated manner. If one were to first meet him without ever hearing of his reputation they would think that he was a perfect gentleman. But there was nothing gentle about him in the least and to cross him would be suicide unless you were Gray of course who managed to avoid the man's every attack for years. Now please do not ask why he harbors such a deep hatred for a mere child because aside from Hades himself no one quite knows. Not even his first mate Capricorn knew. 

Capricorn was a funny case. He had no criminal background and desire to see blood spill but he was the most reliable out of all the pirates and the most sensible for that matter. Which probably explains why Hades hasn't killed him yet. 

"Captain Hades! I have big news!" He said running into the captain's quarters only to be silenced by a sword that was thrown into a wall, barely missing the skin of his face. 

The owner of said sword was a very large and strong man with unattractive features that made him look both refined and repulsive at the same time. A man who wore a patch over where his left eye once was.

"Capricorn what have I told you about disturbing me when I am sleeping?" He said in a voice that was a mixture of calmness and anger. "I was having the best dream of my life. I was dreaming that I had finally got my hands on that boy. His fairy try to use light to blind me so he could escape but the light was shined on my left side so I could not see it and he couldn't escape so I strangled him to death."

"So I guess you could say that he did you a favor huh?"

"A favor?" He flinched while still keeping a calm demeanor. "He plucked out my left eye and threw it to a dragon and the cursed beast liked the taste of me so much that it's followed me ever since. Licking it's chops for the rest of me."

His demeanor then changed to one of great anger and brief insanity. 

"You call that a favor?!" He shouted with venom in his voice.

"Uh....No sir." Capricorn said. "But lucky thing that dragon also swallowed your clock. Now he warns you as you might say. With his tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock."

Hades threw another sword at him but again he missed. Still it was enough to frighten the man.

"Never make the noise again." He seethed. "You know that noise torments me! That's why I refuse to allow clocks on this ship!"

"Aye sir. Sorry sir."

"Now tell me Capricorn why did you wake me? And it better be important otherwise I'll replace the ship's anchor with your corpse."

Capricorn gulped before answering.

"It's Spring time captain. The ice has melted, the sun is out, the flowers are all in bloom."

Captain Hades slammed a fist on to his desk and froze upon realizing what this meant. After a moment of silence that seemed endless he turned to stare at his first mate intensely before whispering in a harsh tone.

"He's back." He then grinned excitedly. "Capricorn fetch me my coat and then pipe up the crew."

"Again? Captain haven't we done this routine a million times before?"

"Yes and haven't I threatened to cut your vocal cords for getting mouthy with me a million times before?"

"Aye-aye captain." Capricorn said understanding the message. He brought Hades his coat then went aboard the ship. "All hands on deck! I repeat all hands on deck! Look alive you swabs! The captain is coming!"

The other pirates immediately threw away their drinks and made themselves look ready to follow an order their captain had for them. In almost no time at all Captain Hades walked on to the top of the deck and pulled out his telescope. Looking through it he spotted Gray and his friends looking down at them from the cloud they were sitting on. He then turned to his crew and said.

"Fetch Long Tom."


	10. Chapter 9

Long Tom was the biggest and most explosive cannon that was onboard of Grimoire Heart's ship. It could shoot cannonballs high enough to reach the clouds and knock down anything no matter how high it was. A prefect weapon to use on anything or anyone who could fly. 

The crew loaded it up with double the gun power and aimed at an angle that was directed straight at the could where the four children sat. Long Tom's fuse was lit and a cannon ball was shot out of it and upward at an incredible speed. Acting fast, Gray pushed Juvia and her brothers out the way and flew higher up. They weren't hit but the force sent Juvia flying in another direction and it knocked Natsu and Romeo right out of the sky. 

"Meredy I'll distract the pirates you find Juvia and the boys and get them somewhere safe." Gray instructed his fairy before flying down toward the pirate ship. Unaware that it would be a mistake to trust her with Juvia's safety.

"Hey you one eyed codfish over here!" He called to get the attention of his worst enemy.

"Shoot him!" Captain Hades ordered as more cannons and pistols starting shooting off.

"You can't catch me!" Gray taunted as he dodged the bullets and cannon balls being shot at him and laughing with each miss. There was nothing he found to be more hilarious than to watch those idiotic pirates fail to kill him. He really couldn't think of anything more funny to observe. 

But he knew he couldn't stay long because he had to find his new friends before they accidentally landed somewhere that could lead to trouble. You see while Tendrou Island was a place of fun, beauty, and adventure it was also a place of danger, risks, and you guessed it trouble. An example of such existed with many of the inhabitants on the island. Of course you already know that the pirates are the biggest source of it but there are others as well. Perhaps not as evil or bloodthirsty as the pirates but still dangerous. 

One milder case would be the original inhabitants of Tendrou Island: The fairies. Centuries ago the island itself was created when an immortal hollow tree of magic seemed to grow from nothing and when the wind blew against it dust would fall from it along with leaves, seedlings, and blossom petals. But whenever the dust mixed with the fallen leaves, seedlings, or petals a fairy would be born. The tree created many fairies granting them both it's magic and immortality. In return the fairies surrounded their tree with an island so it would thrive better and be protected from outside forces that would harm it. Fairies are some of the few rare creatures who can travel between Tendrou Island and our world however most of them typically prefer to stay in the world of their birth. 

The few who did travel between worlds usually did it out of curiosity and if they ever encountered humans they would either help or hurt them. The ways that they would help them was by leaving them little presents or cleaning up their house or caring for unwanted children. The ways that they would hurt them was by playing tricks on them or stealing their things or leading them into trouble. Just as Gray had said earlier fairies are very much like people. Some can be good and some can be bad. It just all depends.

Just South of the fairy tree and on the far out reaches of the shore was the domain of the mermaids. Their home was a shapeless pool of lovely pale colours suspended in the darkness yet at the same time it reflected light. This lagoon was called Mermaid Heel and these creatures mostly kept to themselves and spent their days basking and combing out their hair in a lazy way. However they could be a most troublesome brood and a species that should be avoided at all costs. Reasons why? I'll explain later.

Then there were the Indians of the tribe called Celestia. Though they weren't really Indians, they were actually celestial spirits who came down from the heavens and on to this land, to be the chosen allies of the fairies and the protectors of the island but they would take human form so they would be able to understand and communicate with the other inhabitants. They based their human appearances and human lifestyle off of the Indians because out of all the races of people they observed from the sky it was the Indians they watched the most. So like the Indians they carried tomahawks and knives, and their bodies gleamed with paint and oil. They were at one with nature and treated it with nothing but a deep respect and honor. Nevertheless they could also be just as violent and barbaric as the pirates. In fact Grimoire Heart and the Celestial tribe had fought over control of the West side of the island for what seemed to be like an endless amount of time. In the end the Indians won and they became very territorial of their land. If you attempted to challenge their control it would most likely lead to an immediate scalping. 

But they were not without a compassionate side, years back they took in a child from our world. One of the few who had not be brought here by Gray. A young girl called Lucy who had nothing and was doomed to a terrible fate. Like Gray, she saved a fairy who stumbled into her home and as a reward the fairy offered her an escape. She was brought to Tendrou Island and left at the Celestial tribe. Upon hearing her story the Indians pitied her and not only did they make her one of them but they made her their princess because through her there could be an understanding between the tribe and other inhabitants. They all loved her dearly and under their care she became a pretty, high spirited, and coquettish girl with a desire to prove that she was a lot tougher than people thought. 

The predatory beasts of the island were also a type of inhabitant to be weary of. A great and motley procession of lions, tigers, bears, wolves, snakes, hawks, boars, and the most feared of them all the dragon. Now this dragon was not like the ones you've heard in other fantasy stories. It does not fly nor does it breathe fire but it swims at an incredible speed and can stay underwater for hours. It's terribly stealthy, skilled, vicious, and of course man eating. But this dragon in particular has certain type of man that he wants to eat. That would be none other than Captain Hades himself. From the very moment the demonic reptile accidentally swallowed his left eye all he could think about was how wonderful the rest of him would taste. He's followed the wretched pirate for years, trying to be as sneaky as possible but every time he gets close to catching him the ticking noise of that clock he swallowed always gives him away and spoils his hunt. But when a predator chooses a specific type of prey to hunt it almost never gives up.

Finally there were the lost boys. Children who Gray had brought over previously due to the fact that they came from a poor home or thought they did. He was their leader, protector, and most trusted friend. Each of them were eternally loyal to Gray and had considered him along with each other blood brothers from the moment they first met. There were four of them in their group: Gajeel, Elfman, Sting, and Rogue. 

Gajeel was the toughest of them and considered himself the unofficial leader of the group whenever Gray was absent because he thinks he remembers the days before he was lost, with their manners and customs which irritated the other boys very much. Elfman was the more sensitive and polite of the bunch, he tried to be as manly as the others but he was so painfully shy and soft spoken. Sting was the most impulsive one and often acted without thinking, still there was no one on the island with better tracking skills than him. Rogue was their most subtle and agile member which made him a perfect spy for when the boys needed to find out information on Grimoire Heart's next move. 

Their ages ranged from twelve to ten, they were all feral yet well meaning children who dressed in animal skins and spent their days hunting, fishing, playing tricks, and going on adventures. Today they were in the middle of hunting for tonight's dinner when they saw something unusual flying into their territory. They weren't sure what it was but they believed it to be a bluebird due to the fact that it could fly and had some blue coloring to it. But it was actually Juvia they had spotted and she didn't realize it yet but she was in for a very poor first impression of them.


	11. Chapter 10

When they caught sight of the flying blue thing, Gajeel pulled out his telescope and looked through it. However even with the telescope's more advanced lens he still couldn't make out what this "bird" really looked like because of how far away it was.

"What is it?" Elfman asked him.

"It's a large blue bird. Probably the largest one I've ever seen."

"Give me it!" Elfman said jerking the telescope.

"I wanna see!" Sting said jerking it too.

"No it's mine!" Gajeel argued.

"Don't be greedy! Share!" Rogue said.

"Get off me!" Gajeel demanded. "You know the rules! When Gray's away I'm in charge. So I get to look through the telescope."

"Who made you co captain?" Sting asked. "I don't remember taking a vote on that."

"Yeah." Elfman and Rogue added.

"We didn't vote on it because obviously I'm more suited for the position." Gajeel explained. "I'm the oldest, the toughest, and the smartest out all of you. So put a sock in it you bunch of whiners!"

Gajeel looked back into it only for Meredy to suddenly appear and flash her light into the lens.

"Ahhh! My God I've gone blind! I'm blind!" He shouted with his hand over his eyes.

"I'm blind! I'm blind! I'm blind!" The other children mocked while laughing and thinking it served him right for being so bossy.

"Don't laugh you idiots! She's blinded me!"

After teasing him they turned to speak with Meredy. Much like Gray they too had learned the language of the fairies due to being around them for so long which meant they would be able to understand what Meredy would have to say.

"Hello Meredy." They greeted.

"Any news from Gray?" Elfman asked.

Meredy looked down at the bows and arrows in their hands and began to think of an idea. A very low, under handed, and dreadful idea. Now Meredy was not all bad. Sometimes she was all good but fairies are so small that they only have room for one emotion at a time. Not to mention that reason did not come easy to fairies either so you could say that considering the consequences of one's actions was a foreign concept to Meredy. Right now she was being completely ruled by her emotions of jealousy which also dominated her sense of reason. This would drive her to make two mistakes that she would regret for the rest of her life.

She flew up to Elfman's ear and began to talk to him.

"She says that the bird is called a Juvia." Elfman said. "And that Gray wants us to shoot it down."

"Shoot a bird?" Rogue said confused. "That's odd. He's never asked us to shoot anything except pirates and wild beasts that we use for dinner. Why on earth would he want us to shoot a bluebird?"

"Maybe he's craving bluebird for supper?" Sting suggested.

"But those smaller birds aren't common for eating. Pigeons perhaps or maybe an occasional dove, but a bluebird?"

"A trophy then?"

"Sting you know he doesn't believe in hunting for sport. He views it as senseless murder."

"What does it matter? We have our orders." Gajeel said. "Shoot the Juvia bird."

"Aye-aye!" The other three boys said and they prepared their weapons.

"Hey guys you think I might be able to hit it?" Elfman asked. "Imagine how impressed Gray would be if I did?"

"Doubtful." Rogue said. "You have poor aim."

"And every time you shoot you get knocked back by the force." Sting added. "You're so weak."

"You two always pick on me. Stop it!" Elfman said.

"Not our fault you're weak." Sting said.

"And helpless." Rogue said.

"I am not!"

"Are to!" They both said.

"Am not!"

"Are to!"

"Am not!"

"Are to!"

"Shut up you morons! Here it comes!" Gajeel ordered.

Juvia flew in closer, looking around for Gray or her brothers but she suddenly became frozen with fear when she saw the four hunters down below aiming their bows and arrows at her.

"Ready, aim, fire!"

They shot their arrows one by one, the first three missing their target but the fourth one fired by Elfman was a direct hit and Juvia fluttered to the ground.

"I got it!" Elfman cheered with enthusiasm.

The boys ran excitedly to where their prey had fallen only for their excitement to change to horror when they saw a girl lying in place of the supposed bird.

"That is no bird." Gajeel said.

"It is a lady." Sting said.

"And Elfman has killed her." Rogue said.

They all whipped off their caps but only three of them could remain standing. Poor Elfman fell a-trembling.

"I...I didn't know." He said mournfully. "I swear I didn't know. I...Oh what have I done?"

"I'm responsible too." Gajeel said. "I had the telescope, I should have recognized that she was a lady."

"She sure was pretty." Rogue said. "Such a shame."

"Oh boy what are we going to tell Gray?" Sting asked. "You know how he feels about killing innocents, especially when it's a girl. If he finds out about this we're so dead."

"Uh-oh speak of the devil." Gajeel said.

At that moment the boys saw Gray flying their way. They quickly gathered around Juvia to hide her from his view. They knew it wouldn't work for long but hopefully it would give them just enough time to think of a proper way to break this to him.

"Hello boys." Gray said landing. "I've got great news for you all."

"What news?" Gajeel asked nervously.

"I heard the ending of the story Cinderella. She defeated the pirates in an all out battle and lived happily ever after with her prince."

"What's happily ever after mean?" Sting asked.

"Not entirely sure but she said it meant that they got married."

"She?" Gajeel inquired. "As in a lady?"

"Oh yeah! That's the best part! I brought you the one who told the story. She has plenty more to tell you all and I'm hoping that she'll be the mother of our little family."

"So she's here?" Elfman asked while trying to contain his terror. "On Tendrou Island?"

"Yes."

"And by any chance was she wearing a white dress and had blue hair?" Rogue asked.

"Yes. Have you seen her?"

The boys all gulped and their faces became pasty with guilt and remorse with they heard this.

"Alright what did you do?" Gray asked suspiciously.

"What do you mean?" Gajeel asked.

"Well the only time you all get huddle together is when it's snowing or if you've done something wrong and you're trying to hide it from me. Now I don't see any snow around so what did you do?"

"Technically it's what Elfman did." Sting said.

"Huh?"

Gray turned his gaze to Elfman who was the most guilt-ridden and ashamed. After a moment of silence he finally dropped to his knees and proceeded to grovel.

"It's my fault! Forgive me! I'm a murderer! I don't deserve to live!" He cried out with tears.

"What are you talking about?" Gray asked confused.

Gajeel, Sting, and Rogue then stepped aside to reveal the blue haired girl lying on the ground with an arrow in her chest. Gray felt himself become speechless in horror and for a few seconds did not know what to do or think next.

"She is dead." Gajeel said uncomfortably. "It was an accident. We thought she was a bird."

Gray did not respond but he took the arrow from her heart and faced the boys, his eyes singling out Elfman who bared his chest with no a sign of resistance.

"Strike Gray." He said. "Strike true."

Gray raised the arrow to use it as a dagger but in the end he couldn't bring himself to do it no matter how horrified and angered he was by her demise. But he would discover that there was no reason to feel as he did because when he dropped the arrow, Rogue saw Juvia's chest rise.

"Look she's breathing." He pointed out.

The boys looked over Juvia's body and saw that she was indeed still breathing.

"She's alive." Gray said in relief.

"But how?" Sting asked.

Gray knelt beside her and checked her chest for a wound. But he saw that the arrow didn't hit her chest, it hit the acorn button she wore around her neck and close to her heart.

"It's my kiss. My kiss saved her." Gray realized taking the pendent into his hand.

"I remember kisses." Gajeel said. "Let me see it."

Gray handed it to Gajeel who observed it.

"Aye that is a kiss. A powerful thing."

"I guess she must've fainted from shock." Rogue said.

"Let's carry her down to the house." Sting suggested.

"Hands." Gray said knowing that it would not be sufficiently respectful to touch a lady with filthy mitts. So they all looked down at the palms of their hands which had mud and dirt smeared on them.

"They're a bit dirty." Elfman said.

"She must stay here and die." Sting declared.

"No!" Gray objected.

"Oh, how could I have thought that? Stupid. Sorry."

Gray thought for a moment and then idea came to him.

"We'll build a house around her."

At once the boys left to get what they needed to pull this off. Gray stayed behind and he was begging Juvia to get better quickly. Of course she could not answer yet, being still in a frightful faint. But from overhead came a wailing note. It was Meredy who was wailing and when Rogue saw her he remembered just whose idea it was to shoot Juvia in the first place.

"You know Gray." He said. "We really didn't mean to hurt her but Meredy told us that she was a bird and that you wanted us to shoot her down."

"She what?!" He said looking as angry that he had ever seen him. "Meredy come here!"

Meredy came down from the tree she was perched in and flew toward the boy while trying to look as innocent as possible.

"Yes?" She squeaked.

"Is he telling me the truth?" He asked sternly. "Did you try to kill her?"

"Me? Oh no. I would never."

But Gray was no fool and he could tell by Meredy's eyes that she had intentionally caused Juvia's near death experience.

"I am your friend no more!" He declared angrily before grabbing her and throwing her to the side.She flew on to his shoulder and pleaded, but he brushed her off causing the fairy to fly away in tears.

Now remember when I said that Meredy's jealousy would cause her to make two mistakes that she would regret? Well this was the first and the second would come later because you see not only do fairies have trouble controlling their emotions they also have trouble taking responsibility for their actions. In other words Meredy failed to acknowledge what she did wrong and blamed Juvia for her banishment. So now she was more determined than ever to get rid of the girl, little did she realize that this way of thinking would only make things worse. For her and for Gray.


	12. Chapter 11

Gray and the lost boys immediately set to work on making a suitable house for Juvia. They used red wood to build the walls and the door, moss and leaves as the carpeting and the roof, an old shoe as a knocker, and they tied together a bunch of sticks to make a window. For her bed they gathered up all the fallen downy feathers of various ducks and geese who flew by and made them into one of the softest feather beds imaginable. They gave her a chair and a little table that they swiped from the pirate ship and they would have let that be the end of it but Elfman claimed that a lady preferred her home to have certain aspects like privacy, something that made her house look pretty, and things to help her freshen up and look nice. 

So the boys gathered up some yellow leaves and used them to make curtains for the windows, decorated the house with wild island roses, and filled a bucket with fresh water scented with lily petals for when she needed to bathe. Also Gray gave her a comb and hand mirror from one of the mermaids at the lagoon so she could do her hair. They had just finished the house completely when they heard her make a stirring noise.

"Alright everyone look your best. Remember first impressions are important." Gray said.

"What's a first impression?" Sting asked.

"I don't know I just heard it from one of the grown ups once."

"Do you think she'll like us?" Elfman asked.

"Considering that we shot her out of the sky I wouldn't blame her if she didn't." Rogue said.

"We just need to look loveable and adorable." Gajeel said.

The children quickly went out of there way to look their very best and they waited with baited breath for her to appear. Gray flew back to their hideout to make everything ready for her. He had decided since she would be playing the motherly role in their pretend family it was only natural that he play the fatherly role since he was the leader of the lost boys and the oldest.

When Juvia woke up the first thing she did was examine her surroundings. She ran her hand across the redwood walls of the house then felt the softness of her downy feather bed. After that she smelled the island roses that decorated her windows and took a moment to brush her hair with the comb Gray had brought her. The house was quite beautiful and no doubt Juvia would be very cosy within it. 

When she had finished with her hair the door opened and she came out. The lost boys whipped off their hats again and bowed politely. She looked properly surprised and this was just how they had hoped she would look.

"Where am I?" She asked.

"Miss Juvia." Gajeel said in his most gentleman like tone. "We apologize for the harm we have caused you, it was most certainly unintentional."

"And to prove how sorry we are." Elfman added. "We built you this house. We hope it's to your liking."

"It is lovely." Juvia said.

Seeing that she was pleased, the boys all went on their knees and holding out their arms cried

"Please be our mother Juvia Lady."

"Oh." She said, again properly surprised. "Well I...I...I would like to be your mother but I'm only twelve and I have no real experience."

"Do you tell stories?" Gajeel asked.

"Yes."

"Then you're perfect." Sting said.

"Very well. I will do my best."

The four boys cheered happily then led Juvia to their secret house that was built underneath a very big and strong tree. Captain Hades would have given his remaining eye to know where it was. But they were extremely clever about keeping it hidden. Always careful to cover their tracks, make sure that they were never followed, and never let anyone know which part of the island was their territory.

"Sorry for rushing you along like this." Elfman said. "We must be cautious. There are some nasty characters about."

"If Hades discovers our hideout he'll gut us." Sting said.

"How dreadful!" Juvia gasped.

"Oh we live for it!" Sting replied in excitement.

When they reached large tree, Rogue pulled a vine which opened the secret door in the tree's hollow trunk. They escorted Juvia inside and she found herself going down a slide that took er straight into the underground house. The boys followed after her and the first thing she saw upon her arrival was Gray sitting in a chair with a sword.

"Discipline. That's what fathers believe in." Gray told her. "So as punishment for trying to kill their mother, I their father shall spank the children."

"With a sword?" Juvia asked.

"Of course. What else would I use?"

"Now wait just a minute why are you the father?" Sting asked.

"Because I'm the leader, I've been here the longest, and I didn't try to kill Juvia. Now prepare to be punished children." He raised his sword.

"Wait you're actually going to spank us with a sword?!" Elfman cried.

"No way I didn't sign up for this!" Gajeel shouted.

But Gray only chased the boys around the house swinging his sword, not stopping until Juvia stepped between him and the other children.

"Gray stop!" She said. "While I do agree that they are perfectly horrid children who are in need of punishing but to spank them would be too lenient."

"Yes very lenient!" The boys cried.

"I suggest something far more dreadful."

Juvia picked up a little cup off of a table that was down there and filled it with water and sap that was dripping from the tree's roots just above them.

"Medicine." She said with a playful smile. "It's the most beastly, disgusting stuff in all the world. A sticky, sweet, and bitter fluid with an after taste that will last for days."

Gajeel, Elfman, Sting, and Rogue looked as if she had described a fate worse than death. 

"Spank us! Spank us! Please spank us!" They begged Gray who only shook his head with a pleased grin on his face.

"Littlest first." Juvia said. "Romeo."

But she did not hear her youngest brother answer nor did she see him among the group of young boys. She also didn't see Natsu either and it finally dawned on her that she was the only child of the Fernandes family here.

"Romeo? Natsu? My brothers!" She cried in a panic. "Oh my goodness where are they?! Are they here?!"

"Uh-oh I knew I forgot something." Gray said. "Or rather someone. Two someones actually."

"You mean you they were left behind? They're lost?"

"Alright don't freak out. When that cannon was shot at us they got knocked over into another part of the island."

"Which part?"

"I don't know."

"Gray!"

"Okay, okay, calm down. We'll find them."

"Who are Romeo and Natsu?" Elfman asked.

"They're my brothers and apparently they're lost somewhere on this island." Juvia said. 

"She better hope they're not lost on the part of the island where the Indians or the predators live." Sting whispered to Rogue. "Otherwise they've probably been scalped or eaten by now."

"What?!" Juvia cried in horror at hearing Sting's words.

"Idiot!" Gajeel said punching Sting.

"Ow!"

"Now here's the plan. Sting and Rogue you search the jungle and near the pirate ship. Gajeel and Elfman you search higher ground and around Indian territory." Gray instructed. "If you find Natsu and/or Romeo whistle for me immediately."

"Wait what do they look like?" Rogue asked.

"One has pink hair and one has purple hair." Gray described.

"Pink and purple hair?" Gajeel said skeptically. "You sure they're boys?"

"Yes. Now get moving! Go!" Gray ordered.

"Aye-aye!" The lost boys said saluting him before splitting up to search the island for Juvia's brothers. 

"What are we going to do?" Juvia asked Gray.

"We're going to the lagoon to ask the mermaids if they've seen them. They know almost everything that happens on this island."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"I can't believe I let this happen. I'm their older sister, I should have been watching them." Juvia said feeling a terrible amount of guilt. "Heaven only knows what they've gotten themselves into. Natsu is always courting trouble and poor Romeo must be so scared."

"Don't beat yourself up about this. It won't accomplish anything." 

"I'm sorry but if something happens to either one of them I'll never be able to forgive myself."

"I'm sure they're fine wherever they are and the lost boys can find anything or anyone. They're the best trackers ever." Gray assured her. "Now come on let's go look for them."

He took her by the hand, they climbed out of the house, and flew off to do their part of the search. 


	13. Chapter 12

Gray and his friends weren't the only ones on the island who were starting a search. After another failed attempt at trying to kill the boy, Captain Hades had once again gone back to trying to find the location of Gray's secret hideout. He and his screw had scoured every inch of Tendrou Island and yet they hadn't even come close to figuring out where Gray and the lost boys hid. The constant failure was enough to drive the man completely mad.

"Blast that damnable boy!" He snarled while looking over one of his many maps of the island. "I've been trying to kill him for years and yet somehow he always escapes my grasp! How is it that a mere child can outsmart my genius and cunning."

"It's the world's biggest mystery Captain." Capricorn said. 

"It's irritating to no end! Oh I hate being irritated Capricorn! And I hate living on Tendrou Island! And I hate! I hate! I hate Gray Fullbuster!"

"With all due respect Captain do you really think it's healthy to obsess over a young boy for this long? After all what happened with your eye was an accident and it's not like what he did to you was without warrant." Capricorn explained. "I mean you did try to string him up by his neck. Pity you forgot he could fly and well one thing led to another as they say."

"Oh please I could careless for what he did to my eye. I mean it is irritating that I only have half of my vision but I got over that years ago."

"Then why such an extreme hatred?"

"How about the fact that because of him I'll be pursued by a bloody dragon for the rest of my life?!"

"Alright I won't argue you with you there. That is an understandable reason, but again he didn't mean to feed your eye to it. He meant to just throw it into the ocean, the beast was there randomly and swallowed it up." 

"I don't care if he didn't mean to do it! All that matters is that it happened! Besides it goes much deeper than that. Just his existence torments me. Seeing his smug face, hearing that mocking voice, knowing that he was born."

"Is that why you tried to string him up when you first met him?"

"Obviously."

"But I don't understand. How can you hate someone for just being alive?"

"You wouldn't understand. No one understands my pain. Not you, not the crew, you're all too stupid to understand my pain. That's all my life is now. Stuck in another world, surrounded by stupid people, and taunted by that boy! I can't stand it any longer!"

"Are you getting dramatic?" Capricorn asked.

Instead of answering Hades went to the back of his quarters and returned with a loaded pistol.

"No stopping me this time Capricorn. This is it." He removed the safety on the pistol and pointed it toward his head. "Don't make a move Capricorn. Not a step. My finger is on the trigger. Don't try to stop me Capricorn."

"Oh not again." His first mate said rolling his eyes in annoyance.

"This is it. Don't try to stop me this time Capricorn. Don't you dare try to stop this time. Capricorn try to stop me."

"Come again?"

"Capricorn you better get up off your ass and get over here!"

"I'm coming. I'm coming."

"This is not a joke! I am committing suicide!"

Capricorn and Hades wrestled for the pistol. A shot rang out but no one was hit and Capricorn managed to get the weapon away from his captain.

"Don't ever frighten me like that." Hades said sternly.

"I'm sorry sir."

"What are you? Some kind of sadist?"

"Again I'm sorry sir. Feel better?"

"I need a drink. Bring me my rum."

"Aye sir."

Hades went to sit at her desk while Capricorn went to the captain's liquor to grab his best rum, muttering to himself:

"It's a pity there are no psychiatrists on this island."

He put a glass on the desk and filled it with the rum. Hades brought the edge of the glass to his mouth and took a hard swallow of his drink.

"He has to have a weakness." The deranged pirate said. "Everyone has a weakness, even I have one and it's that Godforsaken dragon. The boy acts like he's indestructible but he has something. Something that will break him. Break him hard."

"You've already tried attempting to break every bone in his body sir."

"That's not what I meant. I want to get him where it would really hurt. Hurt him enough to where he's writhing agony and praying for death and at that exact moment I will be the one to grant his wish. But where? Where is he vulnerable?"

"Perhaps his head? Any damage to the skull causes instant death."

"You're not familiar with the phrase metaphor are you? I'm not talking about physical pain! I've already tried that countless times! I'm talking about mental pain! Emotional pain! Something that'll mess up his mind set!" He snapped before huffing out the words. "It is so hard being the only intelligent person in a world of idiots."

"Oh in that case good luck Captain. Everyone knows he doesn't feel anything except joy and the occasional snarky attitude."

"I'm sure I could find some information about his weak spot if I discovered his hideout. If only I knew where it was."

"But sir you'll never find his hideout. You've looked everywhere and you've tried everything."

"No not everything. If I haven't accomplished my goal yet then that means there's something I haven't tried. But what exactly?"

He glanced over at one of his maps. His eyes fell upon the illustration of the camp which belonged to the Celestial Tribe. They were almost as bad as Gray. Defeating him and his crew in battle over territory, acting like they owned the whole island, just because they knew every part of it so well. He'd love to show them what for as well. Suddenly he got an idea. One that he was sure would work in his favor this time.

"Of course the Indians." He said.

"What about them Captain?" Capricorn asked.

"Those savages know this island better than I know my own ship."

"Yes so what's your point sir?"

"Well then they must know where Gray and his rat faced friends are hiding." He said thinking. "Yes I'm sure that if we were to catch one of them and force them to talk then- Damn! I forgot, not one of them speaks a lick of English."

"Except the princess."

"The who?"

"Princess Lucy. She's from outside of Tendrou Island. They took her in when she was brought here and they taught her all their customs. So she speaks both their language and English."

"Is that so?" He said with a subtle but venomous grin. "Then we'll just nab the royal brat and make her tell us what she knows."

"You mean kidnap the Indian Princess? We're not going to hurt her are we?"

"We might if she doesn't talk."

"Are you sure you really wanna do that Captain? The Celestial tribe really love that child and if we were to harm her then the Indians would most likely declare war on us. And you remember what happened the last time we went to battle with them?"

"Hmm...You make a good point there. Those Indians are almost as vengeful as I am. I guess we'll just have to be very smart with how we'll persuade her cooperation." He thought for a moment and very quickly he found a solution to the problem for seen. "That's perfect! And if she drowns they'll blame the mermaids."

"What are you thinking Captain? We can't go to war with the Indians! Their more experienced and they're not afraid to die. I am."

"Oh don't go into a frenzy Capricorn. I know what I'm doing and there will be no war. Now go gather up the crew and prepare the lifeboats. We're going ashore this evening to pick up a princess."

With those orders given Captain Hades, Capricorn, and the other pirates boarded a life boat and set a course for the land. Bringing along swords and pistols for any kind of fighting or killing they would most likely end up doing. 


	14. Chapter 13

Natsu and Romeo had fallen into a part of the island that was surrounded by jungle. There were trees that draped, deep shadows, humid air, and marsh-like rivers. One of which happens to be where the boys had landed. They fell straight down into the nearest river which luckily was very calm and not rapid so they weren't washed away. They pulled themselves out of the river and went somewhere to dry off.

"Are you alright Romeo?" Natsu asked his little brother.

"I think so." He replied with a shiver.

"What a fall." The older boy said looking up toward the sky. "We could've been killed if we had fallen on or in to anything other than this river."

"Where's Juvia?"

"I don't know. I don't think she fell with us."

The two boys looked around to see if their sister was anywhere nearby. But they saw no trace of her or Gray for that matter.

"What do you think happened to her?" Romeo asked.

"I don't know but I'm sure if we look around we'll find her and that weirdo who brought us here." Natsu answered.

"You mean Gray?"

"Yeah him."

"I don't think he's weird. I think he's amazing."

"I guess he's interesting but I don't trust him."

"Why?"

"Well for one thing he just came into our house uninvited, he doesn't where any clothes save for pants, and he just acts so weird. It's like how he talks and moves is always in a mischievous way. Like he's always up to something. And I've seen the way he looks at Juvia."

"What do you mean? How does he look at her?"

"Remember when we met that older boy Bora while walking home from school?"

"Yeah and you chased him down and beat him with your school books." Romeo said. "Father, Mother, and Aunt Mirajane all agreed that it was the dumbest thing you ever did."

"Well I only did that when the jerk asked Juvia if she would show him her bloomers and Father later told me that he was proud of what I did."

"What does that have to do with Gray?"

"I saw him looking at her the exact same way Bora looked at her."

"What way? I don't understand."

"You wouldn't. You're too little." He sighed. "I don't know why I tell you this stuff because you never get the idea of it."

"Get what idea?"

"Nevermind. Let's try to find them."

So the two boys searched the jungle while calling out for their sister and Gray but their calls were not to be answered. They had searched for about half an hour when suddenly they stepped on to something and found themselves hanging upside down by their feet.

"What just happened?" Romeo asked.

"How humiliating." Natsu said with his shirt covering his face as he hung. "We've walked right into a trap."

"Hey I can see your underwear." Romeo pointed out to the said piece of clothing sticking out from his older brother's pants.

"Aw man. Well at least there are no girls around."

"Uh...Natsu."

"What?"

"I think you spoke too soon."

"What are you talking about?"

Natsu pulled his shirt out of his face and to his horror it allowed him to see that standing across from him was a young girl who's gaze was directed right at his exposed underwear.

"Ahh!" Natsu shouted in an embarrassment as he desperately tried to pull his pants back up.

The little girl couldn't help but burst into a fit of laughter at how ridiculous he looked. In fact she laughed so hard that she fell over herself a few times.

"How silly you two look." She said between laughs. "Makes me almost feel sorry for you."

"Ha-ha. Very funny." Natsu said changing from feeling embarrassed to feeling annoyed. "Alright you've had your laugh! Now get us down from here lady!"

She was taken aback by his tone of voice but complied with his request. She quickly pulled a hunting knife out and walked over to where the vines holding them up had been tied to a tree.

"No wait! Hold on! Don't just-"

But she only flashed him a playful grin and cut the vine with her knife causing them both to fall to the ground.

"Ow! Are you crazy?!" Natsu said picking himself up off the ground. "You could have busted my head open! What are you? Some kind of-"

But became at a loss for words when he finally let himself take a good look at the girl. She was around his age with blonde hair that was kept in braids along with a feather pinned in the back. Her eyes were brown and doe-like, she was very pretty and wore an odd dress that was decorated with beads and shells.

"What a nasty attitude you lost boys have." She said. "You should learn to be more respectful to others."

"Lost what?" Natsu said only hearing bits and pieces of what she said due to being distracted by her appearance.

"Lost boys." She said. "You are always trespassing on my people's territory and causing trouble. We've told you a thousand times to stick to your own land but you refuse to listen. You're lucky I'm a believer in mercy otherwise I would have turned you both over to my tribe."

"Hold on I think there's been a bit of a mix up." Natsu said. "We didn't know this was your territory. We weren't told that and we're not who you think we are."

The blonde girl took another look at the two boys she had freed from her trap. She didn't recognize any of them from Gray's group and she noticed that neither one of them wore animal skins or carried a weapon like the other lost boys did.

"Hmm...Now that you mention it, you don't look anything like the lost boys. Who are you two?"

"I'm Natsu and this is my brother Romeo." Natsu introduced. "Who are you supposed to be?"

"I am Princess Lucy of the Celestial Tribe."

"Of the Celestial who?"

"The Indians. They're my people and I am their leader."

"Leader? But you're just a kid."

"So are you."

"But aren't you a little young to be leading a group of Indians?"

"No and for your information I'm a lot more capable than I appear."

"Well excuse me your majesty but we're not from around here so we didn't get the memo."

"Oh you must be new arrivals then. It's been awhile since Gray has brought any of those here."

"You know Gray?"

"I've seen him around and I know where he and his band of trouble makers live."

"That's great!" Romeo said. "Maybe you could help us find him and our big sister."

"Sister?" Lucy said.

"Our sister Juvia came here with us but we got separated by a cannon that shot us down." Natsu said. "That's how we ended up here."

"I don't believe this. Gray actually brought a girl over here?"

"Yeah. He's never done that before?"

"No. He's only brought boys here. He's not interested in girls. Or at least that's what that pixie of his told me. Huh...Last time I go to a fairy for answers."

"That aside. You know where Gray lives, could you take us there?"

"I would but I have to focus on catching a bear for my people."

"A bear? What are you and your people going to do with a bear?"

"What else? Eat it of course."

"Eat it?!" Romeo said clutching his teddy bear protectively.

"Yes and thanks to you two I have to reset my trap all over again." She said.

"Your trap?" Natsu said. "You mean you built this?"

"Yes." 

"That's pretty incredible."

"You think so?"

"Yeah."

"Oh...In that case thank you. The other Indians think I'm too young to do things like hunting on my own but I'll sometimes sneak away from camp just to show them how wrong they are."

"Wait you mean they don't know you're here?"

"No. As far they know I'm still in my tee pee trying to make beaded necklaces."

"Won't you get into trouble once they find out you're gone?"

"Not if I bring back a hearty bear to eat." She went over to grab a vine. "Then maybe they'll finally let me join them on their hunts and battles against the pirates."

"You fight pirates?"

"I never have but I want to. As leader of this tribe I must be able to defend it when danger comes yet they refuse to let me try. I'm young not helpless."

"Wow. You hunt, you fight, you build traps. You're a lot different from the girls I know."

"What kind of girls do you know?"

"Actually I don't know that many girls just my sister but she and her classmates don't hunt, fight, or build stuff. They like to read and sew and embroider."

"Sounds boring. What do you boys do? Do you practice hunting and fighting as well?"

"No. Not really. We just go to school and learn. But I do build things. I once made a new and quicker way to start a fire using rocks and metal."

"Really?" She said intrigued. 

"Uh-huh and I bet that I could make this trap of yours more full proof."

"What do you mean?"

"Well I could set up an alarm or something. Like maybe set up a trigger with a bell that'll go off once something is caught. That way you'll be able to hear when you've caught something."

"What an extraordinary idea. The boys on this island aren't nearly as clever as you." She said and then smiled before finishing her sentence with. "Or as cute."

Natsu blushed for a moment but was quickly broken out of it when they heard footsteps coming toward them.

"Uh-oh that's probably my people looking for me." Lucy said. "You better hide. If they find you they'll probably scalp you."

"What?!"

"Just hide."

She ushered them into a nearby bush and went to the source of the footsteps. 

"Hey you're doing it too." Romeo whispered to Natsu.

"Doing what?" He whispered back.

"Looking at her like Gray looks at Juvia."

"I am?" He said.

"Uh-huh. What's that about?"

Before Natsu could answer the owners of the footsteps became visible and they became completely stiff with fear when they saw who they were. It wasn't the Indians, it was the pirates.

"Princess Lucy how nice of you to come to us so we wouldn't have to make the long journey." Hades said.

Lucy attempted to grab her knife but she was quickly restrained by two of his crew members Kain and Azuma. 

"Get your hands off me you swine!" She snapped.

"Calm yourself." The captain said. "I mean you no harm I only have a little proposition for you my dear princess. You tell me the hiding place of Gray Fullbuster and I shall set you free. Am I not a man of my word, Mr. Capricorn?"

"Oh yes." His first mate said with his fingers crossed behind his back. "Always. So your highness why don't you just tell him what you know so things don't get messy. Please?"

"I have nothing to say." She replied without fear.

"You better talk my dear because if not you'll have to go for a little swim and there is no path through water to the happy hunting ground."

"I am not afraid of you!" She retorted still refusing to be scared or intimidated. "And I will not associate with the likes of you! Why should I? You are a life-stealer! You are evil! You smell of bear-poop! You are many moons old and ugly!"

With that said she spat right on to his boots. In response Hades pulled out a dagger and pressed it to Lucy's throat. 

"Very poor choice of words Princess." He hissed.

"Leave her alone you dog!" Natsu called out which earned the attention of the other pirates and before they could run they too were captured which gave Hades a whole new plan. 


	15. Chapter 14

When Gray and Juvia arrived at Mermaid Heel it had become so much darker. The sky was filled with stars and the full moon was out which is a most haunting time at which to see the mermaids. 

Now mermaids are not as they are in storybooks. They are dark creatures in touch with all things mysterious and very dangerous to all mortals. But they had eyes and ears all over the sea, making them the first to know anything that had taken place in the waters of Tendrou Island. If Juvia's brothers had drowned or had been taken aboard by pirates, the mermaids would know.

Once the dark haired boy and his bluenette lady friend were safely seated on a sturdy rock at the lagoon, he pulled out a pan flute and played a little tune. One that was known to attract mermaids once they heard it. In seemingly no time at all, three heads rose up to the surface of the water. 

"Oh how sweet." Juvia smiled as she instantly recognized what they were. 

She moved to wave or call out to them but Gray grabbed her hand to stop her in a cautionary manner. She looked at him confused. 

"Are mermaids not sweet?" She asked him. 

"They'll sweetly drown you if you get too close." He warned. 

The three heads swam slowly toward the rock where the children sat which allowed Juvia to see their appearances better. They all had the upper body of a woman and very long hair that was like fine silk and each a different color: One green, one brown, and one a dark purple. But those were the only human qualities they had about them. The rest of their bodies were very much like a fishes. They bore gills on their necks, scales all over their skin, hands with claws and a thick-like webbing between the fingers, and pointed, razor sharp teeth that poked out a little from their mouths. They were not at all what Juvia pictured them being nevertheless she was still amazed and astonished upon seeing them. 

Gray leaned over the rock to chat with the first two mermaids, speaking in a language that Juvia could not understand. But the third one with the dark purple hair turned her gaze toward the girl and moved closer to her. She slowly and subtly caught Juvia's hand and started to softly pull her into the water. Gray felt her slip from him and was quick to draw her back while hissing viciously at the mermaid who tried to drown his companion. She hissed back at him and they all wailed in a inhuman way before diving back into the sea. 

"I told you not to get too close to them." He said to Juvia who was trembling a little. 

"I'm sorry. I...I didn't know she was trying to drown me. She was being so gentle." 

"That's how they get you. They don't just roughly drag you under. They make it seem like they're just trying to get you in for a harmless swim. Next thing you know you're a dead corpse floating around in the water. Never let them touch you again. Understand?" 

"Yes. But what did they say? Do they know where my brothers are?" 

"Yep and now we've got trouble." 

"What do you mean? Are they alright?" 

"They're alive but maybe not for long. Hades has them and the Indian princess. He's taking them to Marooner's Rock." 

"What is that place?" 

"It's where the pirates chain up their prisoners and leave them there to drown. They drown when the tide rises, for then it is submerged." 

"Oh no." Horror, concern, and worry overwhelmed her. She felt as if her heart would stop in the moment, terrified that the next time she saw her brothers they would both be as dead as a door nail. 

"He's doing this to draw me out. Another one of his futile traps. The dog!" He cursed. "And obviously he didn't learn his lesson from the last time he crossed the Indians otherwise he wouldn't be threatening the princess. We better get going, when the moon is out like this high tide can't be too far behind."

They flew from the lagoon and toward Marooner's Rock where at that moment Hades, his crew, and their three captives had just arrived. During the whole trip there both Natsu and Lucy had done their best not to show a single sign of fear but Romeo being so much younger couldn't help but shake and shiver. Especially when he saw the skeletal remains of the pirate's previous victims. Captain Hades took his stance on to land once the boat reached it and he quickly loaded up his pistol. 

"Like all surprise attacks." He said. "It must be conducted improperly."

He flashed the three of them a most hideous and unsettling grin.

"You don't scare me." Natsu said.

"Me either." Lucy added. "You are a coward. You prey on the weak and you use dishonorable tactics against your enemies! Your death will truly be one of shame and humiliation!"

"Defiant til the end eh princess?" Hades said to her. "You know if you will just tell me where Gray and the lost boys keep their hideout, I will gladly release you. This is your last chance. What do you say?"

She looked back at Natsu and Romeo, now if it had just been her life at stake at the moment she would have kept her mouth closed on that subject even if it would mean she would die for it. She knew how evil Hades was and believed that no one deserved to die or suffer by his methods hence why she held her tongue. But it wasn't her life being threatened anymore, there were two more innocents who would probably perish if she kept silent. Perhaps she would talk if they could be spared. Of course she knew the consequences of disclosing Gray's location to the pirates but if Hades did have every intention of letting her go for doing as he wished then she could always warn Gray and the boys of his arrival, giving them a better chance of escaping with their lives then these two boys she had met.

"What of them then?" She asked looking back at Hades. "If I tell you what you want to know will they live or die?"

"They will die. I only allow myself to let one child live if I get it in my grasp. If you talk then you'll be the only survivor."

"In that case I have nothing more to say to you."

"Have it your way." He turned to his men. "Put the children on the rock."

Capricorn and Kain then forced iron clad shackles on to their wrists and ankles.

"Sorry your highness." Capricorn said to Lucy as he locked the shackle onto her. "Any last words?"

"Beg for your lives!" Kain spewed into Natsu's face who drew back in disgust at his horrid breath.

"Sirs!" He replied defiantly. "My brother and I are English gentlemen. English gentlemen do not beg!"

He stood proudly and ushered Romeo to follow his example but the poor younger boy just crumbled.

"Please!" He cried out. "Please! Please don't kill us!"

"Please don't kill me either!" Natsu said doing the same when he realized that putting up a brave front wasn't getting him anywhere.

Lucy just rolled her eyes in embarrassment. Yet despite the boys's best effort to beg and appeal to the pirates's better nature, all three of them were chained to the rock and left to wait for the high tide that would claim their lives.

"Ahh! It's cold! Cold!" Romeo whimpered from the feeling of the icy water.

"Cold is the least of our worries." Lucy said. "Once this water rises we're going to die."

"Natsu I'm scared! I don't wanna die! I want Juvia!" 

"There, there, Romeo." Natsu said trying to comfort him the best way he could. "It's okay. Somewhere just not here."

"I never thought I would die this way." Lucy sighed sadly. "By a pirate's hand. But I suppose it serves me right for wandering off and getting into trouble when my people have told me time and time again not to. How devastated they'll be once they hear word of my demise."

"So there's no way out of this?" Natsu asked. "We're really going to drown?" 

"I'm afraid so."

"Oh man." He said trying not to panic. "Well if it's any consolation thanks for trying to make an attempt to save us. That was what you were trying to do back there right?"

"Yes. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I would have betrayed Gray if Hades promised to spare you two in exchange for it. Pathetic I know but I figured he'd have a better chance of escape than you two did at the moment."

"That's not so pathetic. I mean I'm sure Gray would understand the circumstances."

"That's kind of you to say but it doesn't really matter now." She said looking down at the rising water. "I die but I die loyal."

Natsu was chained between Lucy and Romeo. He moved one of his hands to grip Romeo's and the other hand to grip Lucy's.

"At least we'll be going together." He said with a sad smile which Lucy returned.

"Hey shut up ya brats!" Kain shouted at them. "The captain says if you go to screaming we have every right to shoot you in the head so keep your traps shut! You got it?!"

"Got it ya fat, brainless, neanderthal." Natsu mumbled.

"What was that?!"

"Nothing."


	16. Chapter 15

Captain Hades stood in a nearby corner where he couldn't be seen and he pointed his gun right toward the rock where the children were bound. His entire plan was to open fire as soon as Gray flew in to free them. The wicked pirate was certain this plan would work because he knew very well that despite Gray's mischievous and childish selfishness, he was very empathetic and kind. At least toward children that is and he would never allow any child to die if he could somehow prevent it.

"Come on fly to the rescue." He said making his aim. "And then I'll shoot you right through your noble intentions."

But Gray having deduced his plan very quickly had a trick up his sleeve. When he and Juvia made it to the rock he made sure that they weren't seen but he could see the pirates and the children perfectly well.

"Natsu! Romeo!" Juvia gasped in horror when she saw her brothers. 

"Shh!" Gray hushed her. "It'll be alright. I'll get them out of this I promise. But I can't just fly in. That's what he's expecting."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I brought these." He grabbed two swords that he had left in this particular spot in case a battle would be held here in the future. "Can you use one?"

He handed one of them to Juvia. Now she had never brandished a real sword before and never thought she would ever have to but that didn't mean she wouldn't go for it. Although she was opposed to violence most of the time, she would defend herself if she had to.

"I think I can." She said accepting the sword.

"This is only for an emergency." He said. "If one of the pirates find you before I get back use that to protect yourself."

"Get back? You're leaving me here?"

"You'll be perfectly safe I'm sure and if all goes well there will be no fight. For this recuse I am going to use my quick wit and cunning. Not my sword skills but again it helps to have a back up plan. Hence why I have the swords."

"I still don't understand. What is your plan?"

"Juvia I'm a boy of many talents and one of them happens to be throwing my voice."

"You mean mimicking someone else's voice?"

"Exactly. I learned it from a parrot who's a pet to one of the pirates. He was probably the dumbest animal God ever made but thanks to him was able to learn how to copy the voices of everyone from the crew of Grimoire Heart including the captain's."

"But why would that bird teach you to do that?"

"Because I bribed him with crackers."

"But isn't he loyal to the crew?"

"Loyal? Ha! No one on that ship knows the meaning of loyalty and the only reason they serve Hades is because if they quit he'll kill em. Anyway the first part of my plan is to lure Captain cyclops away from the rock."

"How are you going to do that?"

"It is a known fact that pirates are very superstitious and this rock happens to have legend of being haunted by the ghosts of it's victims who drowned here. This will prove to be very useful to me and a little amusing. So stay here and watch the fun."

"Fun?"

She was about to question him further but he had already flown away to a cavern near the rock which had a good, loud echo. Gray coughed a little and adjusted to his voice until it sounded raspy and mystique like. 

"Spirits with a mighty vengeance plague this land mark!" He called. "Beware Captain Hades! Beware! Beware!"

Indeed pirates were very superstitious and when they heard the echoing voice claiming to belong to vengeful spirits all the members of Grimoire Heart became frightened. All but Hades. He was not scared but he was uneasy.

"Did you hear that Capricorn?" He asked his first mate.

"Aye Captain. It's the souls of those you marooned here." He said shaking in a most pitiful way. "I told you we should've buried them when they died! I told you they'd seek revenge if we didn't give some peace and honor!"

"Stand by while I take a look around." He said not entirely convinced he was dealing with a spirit but also not entirely convinced that he wasn't dealing with one either. "Spirits with a vengeance is it? And they choose to make an appearance now?"

"Maybe it's because this time you're marooning children so they've decided you've crossed the moral horizon?"

"Not likely but I'll still look into it. You watch the children and keep an eye out for that boy in case he decides to make an appearance. If he shows up bind him but don't kill him." He said drawing his sword. "He's mine."

Losing his eye may have crippled Hades's sight a little but it in turn strengthened his hearing so he was able to pin point the exact location of where they echo had come from. He walked from the land mark and toward the cavern. Gray quickly flew from the cavern without being seen and landed right in the corner where Hades had planned to shoot him from. Which meant that none of the other pirates would be able to see but they would be able to hear him. He quickly adjusted his voice again until the pitch was deep enough to sound identical to the captain's.

"Mr. Capricorn!" He called out in a voice that was just like Hades's.

"Is that you Captain?" His first mate said looking for him. 

"Brimstone and gall man! What do you think you're doing?"

"What do you mean? We're doing what you said. We're watching the children."

"Well set em free!"

"Set em free? But what about your trap?"

"Those are the orders Mr. Capricorn! Set them free! Or I'll plunge my sword in you!"

Capricorn, the pirates, and even the children looked confused by the "captain's" orders. Nevertheless the pirates of Grimoire Heart were in no way shape or form were going to disobey an order they believed to be from Hades.

"I don't know what he wants with em. I'm just a blithering idiot, aren't I?" Capricorn said as he, Kain, and Azuma climbed over to the rock and unlocked the shackles hold Natsu, Lucy, and Romeo. "Chain em up, let em go. Maybe at last he's comin' to his senses. I knew this plan wouldn't work and we'd find ourselves in another war with the Indians."

Natsu, Lucy, and Romeo swam away from the rock as soon as they were free. They would have head straight for the exit but unfortunately the pirates had sealed it off with a large boulder which would probably be too heavy for them to lift.

"Great! Now what?" Natsu said.

"Psst!" A whisper called to them. "Psst!"

The three of them looked in the direction of the whisper and saw Juvia hiding on a closed off ledge. They quickly swam toward her and climbed on to the ledge, luckily without being noticed by any of the pirates.

"Thank goodness you're both alright." She said hugging her brothers. 

"You found us." Romeo asked. "You didn't get hurt doing that did you?"

"No Romeo." She answered, giving an extra amount of affection to her youngest brother.

"How did you get in here without getting shot?" Natsu asked. 

"Gray brought me. Don't worry he's going to get us all out of here. But we need to hide."

They hid further into the ledge and became very quiet when they saw the shadow of Captain Hades, signifying his return.

"Mr. Capricorn." He said.

"Aye Captain."

"Any sign of him?"

"Not yet Captain."

Hades looked over at Marooner's Rock and saw that Natsu, Lucy, and Romeo could no longer be seen. Now he knew for a fact that they had not yet drowned because the tide wasn't high enough yet. In other words they had been moved.

"Where are the children?" He asked.

"Don't worry sir we let em go."

"You what?"

"We let em go."

"You let them go?"

He gave a little chuckle as if he was perfectly fine with what they did. Giving them a false sense of security that he wasn't going to kill them. But then he pulled out his gun and fired a shot. Capricorn's hand went to his chest but to his relief there was no wound but the same couldn't be said for the pirate standing next to him and he dropped into the water dead.

"Mr. Capricorn!" Gray called out in his faux voice again.

"Who are you, stranger?" Hades asked shocked at hearing a voice that sounded exactly like his own.

"I am Hades. Captain of Grimoire Heart." The voice said.

"If you are Hades, then who am I?"

"You are a codfish."

Captain Hades and Mr. Capricorn looked at each other confused. Then Hades heard a laugh. It was faint but he had great hearing so he like with the echo at the caverns, he could pinpoint the exact location of where that small laugh came from and he saw Gray hiding in his spot while trying so hard not to laugh out loud. 

"Tell me Hades." He said moving up to that spot at angle where Gray couldn't see him coming. "Have you another name?"

"Aye."

"Vegetable?"

"No."

"Mineral?"

"No."

"Animal?"

"Yes."

"Man?"

"No!" Gray answered in his real voice which sounded insulted.

"Boy?"

"Yes."

"Ordinary boy?"

"No!"

"Wonderful boy?"

"Yes!" He came out from his hiding spot. "Do you give up?"

"Yes!" Mr. Capricorn shouted.

"I am-"

"History." Hades hissed as he prepared to shoot the boy from behind. However Juvia saw the pirate from here she was sitting.

"Gray look out!" She cried.

He quickly flew out of the way of the shot fired.

"Here's your spirit you dogs!" Hades shouted before jumping down and drawing his sword. "It is your requiem mass boy!"

"Juvia!" Gray called before drawing his sword. "You and the others try to move that boulder and get out of here! I'll hold them off!"

Gray landed in front of Captain Hades and moved to attack. Both their swords clashed and the glared at each other, one glaring with mischievous glee and one with pure hate.

"Ready to lose the other one?" Gray asked referring to the pirate's remaining eye.

"Not this time!" His enemy snarled with venom. 


	17. Chapter 16

Juvia and the other children hurried to do as Gray said but Hades's crew had no intention of letting any of them escape. Well at least not escape easily. The four of them had just started to move when they were blocked by the sword wielding Zancrow. Drew forth his blade and pointed it toward Juvia who for a moment was greatly frightened. 

"So which one of you brats do I skin first?" He sneered before turning his blade from Juvia to Romeo. "I know how about the little one? His entrails would make a great new pair of socks."

"Juvia!" Romeo cried clinging to his sister in fear.

"You leave him alone!" Juvia said shielding him protectively. "Shame on you for picking someone so much smaller than you are! Why don't you go after someone you're own size?"

"Why don't you make me girlie?" He taunted.

With those words her moment of fright was quickly forgotten and she became insulted. So much so that she stomped on his foot as hard as she could. 

"Ow!" He shouted.

"Who are you to call me girlie?!" She replied.

She swung her sword which clashed with his, soon she found herself in a for real sword fight with a pirate and actually having a chance at winning. Much to the surprise and amazement of her brothers. 

"Wow Juvia can really fight." Natsu said. "Wonder why she never took fencing classes back home?"

"Boys would you mind giving me a hand here?!" Lucy called as she tried to move the boulder blocking the exit.

The boys hurried to her aid and they tried their best to lift or push the incredibly heavy boulder but it seemed impossible to do so. It was too heavy and they began to fear that there was no escape. Suddenly Kain jumped up.

"Ah-hah!" He shouted.

"Oh great not you!" Lucy scoffed.

"You're going under Princess! I wanna make those Indians pay for that time they shot an arrow into my butt!"

He attempted to grab Lucy and drown her. 

"Wait!" Natsu said stepping between them. "You're actually going to attack a lady and while she's unarmed no less. Aren't you ashamed?"

"No. Now move aside or I'll drown you too!"

Natsu responded by to kicking him in the crotch so hard that he fell on his knees.

"Now on your knees! Beg the princess for forgiveness!"

"As if I would ever-" But he quickly changed his tone when Natsu raised his foot again in a threatening manner. "Uh...I mean...My most humble apologies Princess Lucy."

"That's better."

He then punched him in the face hard enough to knock out a few teeth and send him falling into the water. Lucy looked at the boy completely astonished and beguiled. As she were now looking at a proud young warrior from her tribe. Now she had seen many boys his age fight battles against pirates but never had she seen any of them fight for her safety and her honor. Such galantry deserved a great reward and in terms of being a princess there was only one reward that was the greatest above all.

"Hey why are you looking at me like that?" Natsu asked noticing her gaze and she answered his question by doing something completely unexpected.

She grabbed hold of his face with both hands and pulled his lips to hers, kissing him on the mouth for as long as she could. 

"Eww!" Romeo gagged in disgust.

When she released him from their kiss she smiled at him in a most coquettish way. His entire face turned pink and his eyes were practically bludging out of his head. He kissed girl. On the mouth. It filled him with shock, awe, and strangely enough a new found form of strength. Without saying anything he picked up Kain's fallen sword, rolled up his sleeves, and using all his strength he used the sword as lever which successfully moved the boulder out of it's place. 

"Good work Natsu!" Juvia cried, almost letting herself get too distracted from the fight with Zancrow. It resulted in him shooting off her blade with his pistol but she threw the handle into his eye, in turn distracting him long enough to push him into the water. She then went to join Lucy and her brothers on the life boat they were stealing from Capricorn.

"Now hurry!" Gray called to them as he tried to keep Hades at bay. "Move! Get out of here!"

"If I were you!" The one eyed pirate told him. "I'd give up!"

"If you were me." He replied in a mocking manner. "I'd be ugly."

They continued to sword fight, seemingly forever. As if they were so evenly matched in combat that there would never be a winner. But Captain Hades liked to play dirty and he had a very underhanded trick up his sleeve. He figured that he may not succeed in besting Gray in a battle of swords so he decided to use it as distraction while his men prepared a cannon with a net inside. 

The other pirates aimed the cannon at Gray and before he could realize what was happening, the cannon was fired and a net with weights tied to the ends were shot at him. The boy was instantly trapped and dragged down into the water below.

"Gray!" Juvia screamed in horror.

As he sank down, Gray pulled out his knife and used it to cut himself free from the net. He swam back up and attempted to climb a nearby rock but that rock happened to be exactly where Hades was standing. He grabbed Gray roughly by neck, threw him on to the rock, pinned him down, and pulled out his dagger. Juvia wanted to help him but Natsu and Lucy held her back, believing there was nothing any of them could do.

"And now Gray Fullbuster." Hades said in a voice of pure evil as he dragged his dagger's blade down the boy's chest to draw blood. "You shall die!"

It hurt him greatly and he did struggle to escape but it looked like it would be the end of the line for him. Especially when he saw all the other pirates whip off their hats in respect, Lucy and Natsu's faces painted with grim and reluctant acceptance, and Juvia trembling with horror as she so desperately wanted to help him while also covering Romeo's eyes so she wouldn't have to see the terror of watching a child get killed. But Gray would not die like a coward. He would show dignity in the face of death. 

"To die." He said unafraid. "Would be an awfully big adventure."

Captain Hades raised his dagger up with the plan of plunging it deep into Gray's heart, thus finally ending his life but before he could strike they both heard an all too familiar sound: Tic-toc, tic-toc, tic-toc.

"I say Captain, do you hear something?" Gray said with a victorious grin on his face as he now realized that with that sound he had won.

Fear became immediate in the one eyed pirate's face when he heard that damnable ticking noise.

"Oh no." 

He looked back and saw the very thing that haunted his nightmares. Perched on another rock just across from them was a large, scaly, red, dragon. The very dragon who swallowed Hades's eye and had been hunting him since then. With it's yellow eyes full of hunger and it's long tongue licking it's chops ravenously.

"Shoot it!" Hades ordered his crew but they were just as scared as the dragon as he was and they immediately jumped into the water to swim away. Captain Hades turned back to stab Gray only to discover that his enemy had taken advantage of his distraction and escaped on to the lifeboat with the other children.

He would have shot him right then and there but the dragon suddenly slid off of his rock and swam directly toward Hades as fast as he could while snapping and chopping it's jaws at him. It chased him up on to the other rocks as he ran in a very cowardly manner, desperate to escape the giant reptile that craved the taste of him. Soon the beast had him trapped on top on the highest ledge there with seemingly no means of escape unless he wanted to be eaten as soon as he came down.

"Capricorn!" He wailed pathetically. "Capricorn!"

Capricorn unfortunately was at the moment hiding with the other crew members.

"It's all a bit tragic really, isn't it?" He said to his fellow pirates.


	18. Chapter 17

After escaping Marooner's Rock, Gray called for the lost boys to meet up with them and together they returned Lucy to her people. The Indians of the Celestial Tribe were grateful to Gray for rescuing her so they decided to have a celebration in his honor and declare eternal peace between the Indians and the children. It was a very exciting event. Uplifting music played while everyone feasted and danced wildly around the fire. Lucy herself was one of the best dancers and she couldn't resist giving a special performance for Natsu.

"You're really good." He said when she finished dancing on a large Indian drum.

"Thank you." She said. 

"Listen I've been meaning to ask you." He said trying to will himself to not go pink again. "Why did you kiss me back there?"

"Because you protected me and defended my honor so as a reward I gave you the greatest thing someone in my position could give. A princess's first kiss."

"Oh...Thanks."

"To be given the first kiss of princess means that you now have both her and her people's favor. Also according to my people's customs once a princess kisses a boy for the first time, he must become her husband once they both come of age. So technically we're engaged now."

"What?! Now hold on! I like you and all but I'm not ready for a lifetime commitment."

"Calm yourself I'm only jesting. That's not part of our customs but there is a legend about the island that says if a girl gives her first kiss to a boy here then someday they will marry and be most happy til death due them part."

"Okay..." He said trying so hard to keep calm and not get flustered. 

"I don't believe it mind you. It's just a funny myth to me."

"Oh good. That is not that you wouldn't make a good wife but we're way too young and-"

"I know. I understand how you feel and I feel the same way."

"What a relief." He sighed. "So uh...I have another question. Are you the only girl on this island?"

"Before your sister came I was the only human girl on Tendrou Island and because of that I once had this ridiculous notion that maybe Gray would think me special but I was wrong."

"Why?"

"Because he has a habit of forgetting that I'm a girl."

"No not that. I mean why are you the only girl here?"

"Oh. Gray didn't bring me to this place like with the lost boys. In fact your sister is the only one he brought here."

"So how did you get here?"

"It was years ago. Back when I lived in your world, I lived as any other child did. In a happy home with loving parents until one day pirates came to where I lived. Not Grimoire Heart, a different crew. But they were just as cruel. They killed my parents and prepared to sell me into slavery but on that same night I freed a fairy they had captured and in return she brought me here to escape them. Once I arrived I was found and taken in by the Celestial tribe and I've lived with them ever since."

"Did you ever think of going back to where you came from?"

"No but the Indians believe that someday I will want to go back. I don't know why, there's nothing for me back in your world. No parents, no home, nothing. I figured I was better off staying here for the rest of my life."

"Can't say I blame you it is pretty fun here. I can't believe I actually took down a pirate." 

"You'll probably end up taking down even more if you stay here."

"Awesome and if you want I can show you how to build better traps for hunting and even pirate catching."

"I'd be happy to learn."

Juvia smiled to herself as she saw her brother getting close to the Indian Princess. She never thought she'd see the day he would develop a crush on a girl but of course there was a first time for everything right? She then glanced over to her other brother Romeo who was running around and dancing with the lost boys. They took to him rather quickly, in fact Gajeel had the smaller boy riding his on back as they chased the others in sort of game. She would have joined in but she quickly realized that Gray wasn't there. How odd that the guest of honor wasn't at his own celebration. 

She stood up from where she was sitting and started to look for him. In no less than two minutes she found him a little ways from the camp, hiding in the bushes.

"Gray?" She said.

"Shh." He hushed quietly before beckoning her to come toward him. 

She was confused but approached him. He then went to the ground and under the bush leaves, pulling her down with him.

"What are you doing?" She asked in a whisper.

"I want to show you something." He answered. 

They crawled on the ground until he stopped her and pointed toward a large hollow tree where millions of sparkling lights were flying toward it. Juvia recognized those lights to be fairies and for a moment she tried to count just how many there were. While she was distracted, Gray noticed how close their hands were and gently moved his to take hold of hers. It caught her by surprise but she smiled in acceptance. Hand in hand, they flew toward the tree and looked through one of it's many holes to see what was taking place inside.

Up close like this, Juvia could see the forms of the fairies better and she marveled at what she saw. Some were quaint and impish, and others were the most beautiful creatures she had ever seen. She thought the loveliest one of them all was a petite fairy with long emerald green hair, wearing a white elegant gown, and had wings that shimmered and glittered better than any jewel she had seen. She was Hisui the fairy queen and her loyal subjects were throwing a ball to celebrate her marriage to her most faithful knight and one true love Arcadios.

Sweet, romantic music played as the fairy ladies and gentlemen started to take their places. The fairy knight Arcadios approached his queen and bride, helped her from her throne in a most charming manner, and invited her to join him in their first dance as husband and wife. Juvia could not help but be enthralled with watching the tiny bride and groom dance together in such a loving way. She looked up from the tree to give Gray a grateful smile for showing her this and he responded by giving her a smile the implied he had an idea.

He stood before her and bowed politely just like he did when they first met, and again she curtsied for him in a ladylike manner. He raised one hand up, as did she, and both hands joined together while interlacing fingers. His free arm came around her waist and hers moved to lightly lay on his shoulder, in sync with the fairy's music the two shared their own romantic waltz together in the air just like the fairy couple were doing. He held her close during their waltz, occasionally twirling her and never once did their eyes leave each other's gaze.

However the two were so swept up in the moment that they failed to notice someone was watching them. That someone was Captain Hades. He had been walking through the forest, hoping to find some fairies to squash or torture in order to make him feel better about his defeat when he spotted the boy and girl in there fairy dance. Now he heard that Gray had brought a girl to the island but he didn't think it meant anything special, just another child to run around and give him misery but in that moment he was proven wrong. He became greatly upset by this sight and even envious. Why you ask? Because he had seen a display similar to this one a long time ago and he had been upset and jealous by it back then too. 

"Evil day." He whispered. "He has found himself a special lady. Oh how cruel it is when history repeats itself."

He then heard a jingling sound and saw Meredy sitting on a leaf, watching them with jealousy as well but her reasons for envy quite differed from his.

"I was wondering why you weren't at the fight today." He asked her quietly. "What happened?"

She gave him a little squeak.

"Banished? Tsk! The dog!" He scoffed. He too understood the language of the fairies very well. "Whatever for, if I may ask?"

As Meredy explained her reasons for banishment the twisted pirate began to think that he could use this to his advantage. After all a jealous female could be tricked into anything. Even betrayal. 

"I think you and I should talk." He said leading her away.

As for Gray, in that moment he was so happy. Just holding Juvia in his arms like this made him happier than he had ever been in a long time. She was unlike anyone he had ever met. He couldn't realize what was happening to him. His heart was pounding, he felt butterflies in his stomach, and he felt the odd new interest and feeling stirring up inside of him ten fold now. Juvia was the source of it obviously, it was like with each glance from her blue eyes, each gentle smile she made with her mouth, each cute laugh she gave off completely ruled every part of him. It was as if this beautiful little girl had some sort of new power over him that he couldn't understand and it worried him

"Juvia." He said.

"Yes?" She said looking exceedingly happy at the moment.

"It's only make believe." He told her. "That you and I are..."

"Oh." She said as their joy turned to disappointment so very quickly. "Of course." 

The dance ended and they lowered themselves to the ground. 

"I'm glad we cleared that up." He said once they were on the ground again. "It would make me seem old to be a father for real."

"Gray what are your exact feelings toward me?" Juvia asked. 

"What do you mean?"

"How do you feel about me? Am I special to you in some particular way?"

"Funny, you sound like Lucy. She asked me that once when I met her the first time and I wasn't entirely sure what she was talking about."

"What answer did you give her?"

"I told her that to me she was no different from the lost boys. It made her very angry. To this day I don't know why, I thought she'd be flattered."

"Is that how you see me? Just another boy to play with?"

"Not exactly. You don't dress or act in a way that's similar to the boys like she does so it's easier for me to remember you're a girl."

Juvia quickly understood that she needed to try a different way of speaking.

"What are your real feelings?" She asked.

"Feelings?"

"What do you feel? Happiness?"

"Of course. I feel it all the time."

"What about sadness? Jealousy? Anger? Fear?"

"Those are bad feelings. I don't feel those, they make me weak."

"Love?"

"Love?" He said as if he wasn't sure the phrase existed.

"Love."

"I have never heard of it." 

"I think you have and dare I say you've felt for something or..." She hesitated. "Someone?"

"Never." He stated as a matter of fact. "Even the sound of it offends me."

He spoke in a way as if he were disgusted by the notion of him feeling that said emotion. Juvia was upset by his reaction for she could not understand how anyone could be offended by love. For love was like magic that was real and that no matter how old you get you could always believe in it. You never had to fear your parents telling you need to stop loving now that you're getting older.

"Why does it matter to you if offends me or not?" He asked getting annoyed.

"Do you really not understand why someone would be upset by your answer?"

"No and why would I need a feeling like love? Why would anyone need that feeling?"

"I can't explain it." She said. "But I suppose it becomes more clear when you grow up."

"Well I will not grow up!" He told her angrily. "You can't make me feel! I'll banish you!"

"I will not be banished!" She cried back angry as well.

"Then go home! Go home and grow up! And take your feelings with you!" 

He flew away after that, Juvia tried to go after him. 

"Gray! Gray wait! Come back!" 

But she couldn't keep up with him and she was left alone. His words deeply hurt her so she ran back to her little house where she burst into tears and she wept bitterly until she cried herself to sleep.


	19. Chapter 18

Gray did not want Juvia to leave. But he didn't want to acknowledge that he could feel the emotion she had spoken of either. The foreign one called love. In his mind love and any emotion that was foreign to him could only be felt by grown ups and he wanted nothing to do with grown ups. He didn't want to look like them, act like them, think like them, and certainly not feel like them. Because he had convinced himself long ago that all grown ups are cruel and that they care for no one, least of all children. That the parents of children did not really love them and only kept them out of some sick desire to make them miserable, and after his argument with Juvia he felt the need to remind himself to keep thinking like that.

Once again, he visited Juvia's home to see if Mr. and Mrs. Fernandes had closed the window yet. But as before he saw Mrs. Fernandes sitting in her chair by the open window with Panther Lily resting by her side. He fond her to be a very pretty lady especially as she was sleeping in a seemingly peaceful like state. But despite appearances, her sleep was not peaceful. It was a sleep that had been forced upon her by exhaustion as she could not make her self rest willingly anymore. Her eyes tired with searching the heavens, her hands grasping the doll that had once been held by her daughter, and her lips letting a most sad whisper slip out to call said daughter's name.

"Juvia...Juvia...Juvia."

Though asleep, her heart was still calling for her children to come home. This surprised Gray for he was certain that by now she would have closed the window and forgotten all about her children but she had not. This made him very cross because if she had not forgotten then that meant that there was a still a chance Juvia could leave him and go back to her. He gnashed his teeth at the woman, angry with her for not seeing why she could not have Juvia.

"We can't both have her lady."

He whispered it so quietly to make sure she didn't hear a thing and with that same level of quietness he carefully slid the window down to shut it, thus making it look like the parents had finally moved on and stopped caring. However Erza had trained herself to wake at the slightest noise coming from the change of the window no matter how soft or quiet it was. The very moment she heard the sound of the ledges touching she instantly awoke and ran to check the three beds.

"Natsu?! Romeo?! Juvia?!"

But the beds were still empty like before. She then felt Panther Lily pulling on her robe, gesturing her to the window of the nursery.

"The window's closed." She cried frantically and rushed to open it again but Gray was holding it down in an attempt to stop her. "Jellal! Jellal, help me!"

"What is it?!" Her husband called as he ran to her aid. "Have they returned?!"

"The window's closed! It must be always open for them! Always! Always!"

Her voice held so much fear, a fear she shared with her husband and that fear drove them both to try to re open the window no matter what. Gray did his best to keep it closed but he was no match for Erza and Jellal's combined strength along with how terrified they were of the children returning, finding the window closed and thinking they had forgotten them. It was enough to force the window open and Gray quickly flew to hide before they could even get a glimpse of him. Once opened, Jellal and Erza looked out the window desperately searching for their children or any sign of them but to their great sadness there was nothing there.

"They've not returned." Jellal sighed as he and his wife moved away from the window and back to their places.

Erza sat back in her chair and placed her face in her hands. Tears were slowly and ever softly dripping from her eyes. Dripping like a drizzle of rain. Her husband merely hung his head in shame as he sat himself back at his desk and re-hooked the chain he had around his tie collar, continuing his work while mumbling to himself:

"If only I had not chained up Lily. If only I had not lost my temper."

He had been like that ever since the night they left. Working from home and keeping himself bound by a chain like one would do to a dog or a large cat. A humiliating and disgraceful display but that was the idea. He had acted no better than a wild dog with his children therefore he would be chained up like a wild dog until they returned and he earned their forgiveness. Both Erza and Mirajane had tried to talk him out of it but his guilt kept him from being swayed.

Erza just waited by the window. Waiting and waiting and waiting until her darlings would come back to her. It had made her ill with grief and there were those who had told her that perhaps it would be best for her health and her sanity if she closed the window and moved on. But she refused. To everyone who suggested that to her, she swore that the window to the nursery would remain open until her children came home or until she died.

Gray peeped again at the couple and he could not understand what he saw. Nearly every child he brought to Tendrou Island had parents who would eventually forget them but for some reason Juvia's had not. They still kept the window open and still waited. Did they really still want their children? But that was impossible. Grown ups don't care about children. At least that's what he always believed.

A new feeling welled up inside of him. One he did not like at all. It made him feel very sick but not in the way of having a fever or an upset tummy. It was something that made him see himself in a very negative light. It made him feel as if he had done something wrong. This new feeling was called guilt and in all the years he had led children from their homes to Tendrou Island he had never once felt this emotion. And why should he feel it? He hadn't of done anything wrong right? He only lead the children away because they weren't happy and their parents didn't treat them right. He didn't hurt anyone.

So why did watching Mr. and Mrs. Fernandes like this make feel so terrible about himself?

Meanwhile Meredy was on Grimore Heart's ship where Captain Hades was using his gentleman ways to charm her. Now you're probably wondering why on earth she went along with such a man. Well the answer to that is, Captain Hades could be a very charismatic and manipulative man. He could almost persuade anyone to do or think or feel anything. If he used the right words and tone, and just that ability alone made him ten times more dangerous than any of the pirates on that ship.

"You and I aren't so different Miss Meredy." He said to the fairy. "I've been in your situation once before."

"Really?" She said skeptically.

"Oh yes. You see I wasn't always a ruthless pirate who plundered the seas. There was a time when I was respectable and well off. A navy officer who many people were fond of. I even had a different name back then. Precht Gaeblog was what I was once called."

"What made you change?"

"What else? A woman. The most beautiful woman I had ever met. She was treading the boards, only the best theaters in Magnolia mind you. An elegant and charming woman who I cared for above all other things in this world."

"You care for someone? I find that hard to believe."

"Believe what you wish my dear fairy but it is the truth. Anyway I would have sacrificed anything for her, like how you would sacrifice anything for Gray. I was loyal to no one but her and stood by her side no matter what we faced. Even though she didn't always appreciate my devoution to her. Something I'm sure you can understand."

He was right. Meredy did understand what that was like. Despite going out of her way to be devoted to Gray, she could not help but sometimes feel as if she didn't matter to him. That if he really acknowledged how much she cared about him.

"And then another came between us." Hades said playing on her emotions. "A young man, an explorer who was poor as dirt and could never support a wife or family. Could never be as loyal and devoted as I was. Yet in the end he stole her away from me and do you want to know how he did it?"

"How?"

"With his stories." Now he really had Meredy's attention. "Yes he told her stories of his adventures and it impressed her so much that she just casted me aside like an old glove. Just like how Gray did to you."

Meredy tried so hard not to let Hades see he was getting to her but again fairies are terrible at hiding how they really feel and he could tell that she was deeply upset by the comparisons of their situations.

"But I managed to correct that error."

"You did?" Capricorn said.

"Yes." He said trying not to lose his patience with his first mate who seemed to fail to understand their plan. "I did the exact same thing you did. I killed my rival but the difference between you and me is that I succeeded and you failed."

"I know that!" She snapped. "What's your point?!"

"The point is I know how painful it is to be rejected by the person you care for most and then lose them to someone else. So I cannot bear to see anyone suffer that pain, even you. In other words, I want to help you."

"Help me? And how would you be able to do that?"

"Well it gets rather lonely on this ship of mine. I mean yes I have the crew but they're all men and they can't really comfort me in my bitterness."

"But sir you don't like to be comforted." Capricorn said which earned him a bottle of rum being shoved into his mouth to shut him up.

"I've seen this charming young lady Gray has brought with him and she reminds me so very much of my old lady friend. Perhaps my crew and I would be willing to leave this island and take her with us."

"Really? You would?" She said getting excited.

"Of course I would. However there's the little matter of the fact that we don't know where she is. Would you mind showing us the way?"

Now that last question made her a little suspicious.

"Wait a minute why would you suddenly decide to leave Tendrou Island?"

"Because after so many years of fighting a losing battle I've decided that I have no chance of winning against him. So I call a truce. I'll leave this place and never return. Provided of course that I have a little something to bring along with me."

Now once again Meredy found herself completely ruled by her emotions at the moment so in a sense she wasn't thinking clearly and didn't suspect Hades had an ulterior motive.

"I guess that makes sense." She said.

"So you'll show me the way to Gray's hideout? After all that is where the young lady is staying, yes?"

"No. She's staying in a little house. I'll show you the way there but not to where Gray is."

"Damn!" Hades cursed in his mind. But then again perhaps he could find a way to work this minor setback into his favor.

"Very well." He said as he listened very carefully to what the fairy would say next and her actions would lead her to make the second worst mistake of her life.


	20. Chapter 19

Natsu and Romeo fit right in with the lost boys. In no time at all they proved themselves to be just as rambunctious and eager for adventure as the others. Also like the other boys, they saw Gray as their leader albeit it took Natsu a bit longer to accept that fact but he came around to it eventually. They would all have the most fun playing games, hunting, fighting, swimming, fishing, and exploring. There was always something to do everyday. If they couldn't find something then they would make one up. For example one very slow day when no one save for the children were particularly active, Natsu proposed that they all build kites and have a contest to see who's would stay in the air the longest. They were all for it and Natsu won due to his superior skills in building things. 

They didn't see or hear from the pirates for quite awhile which was unusual but they decided not to dwell on it so much. With their being peace between them and the Indians now, they made frequent visits to the Celestial tribe to exchange methods of hunting and fighting. Princess Lucy would sometimes visit the boys in their underground home and even stay for a couple days, she never thought that they could be so fun to be around. 

Their days were always busy and exciting while their nights were more calm and once they became tired their pretend mother Juvia would tell them a story and tuck them into their beds. She took to motherhood as a duck takes to water. She sewed and darned their clothing, she reminded them to say please and thank you and to have good table manners, she tended to them when they were frightened, she made sure they kept themselves clean, insisted that they take their medicine every night, and she always made sure to tell them a story before sending them to bed. She was content with her position save for one problem.

Ever since that night she and Gray had shared that fairy dance things had become a little tense between them. For one thing Juvia had hoped that eventually Gray would apologize for how he spoke to her that night but he just acted like the whole thing never happened and that he had done nothing wrong. He was still kind and courteous to her but he did not hold her hand or get as close to her as he did before. As if he was making sure his feelings for her remained the same as his feelings to the other children. She had tried to bring it up once or twice but he merely brushed it off as nothing important. She tried not to let it upset her so much but it was increasingly difficult to do so. 

She couldn't tell the other boys how much it upset her for two reasons. Number one they wouldn't understand and number two they loved her so very much, always speaking about how they would do anything for her and consider anyone who hurt her an enemy til death no matter who it was. So she didn't want to drive a wedge between Gray and his friends. She had already unintentionally done it to him and Meredy, which tended to make her feel guilty from time to time. She tried to talk Gray into forgiving the fairy on a few occasions but he stated that once he gave a punishment there was no changing his mind. This fact in turn made her fear that if she ever angered him, he would probably never forgive her and make her leave.

To be honest she hadn't of thought about leaving or going home at all until one evening after she had just finished washing up for dinner, she suddenly sensed something. It was an unsettling feeling, one that prey usually gets once they suspect that a predator is watching their every move and waiting for the exact moment to strike. Looking around she saw no predator but there was no doubt that she was in the sight of one. One that only had one eye to look with.

Indeed, Meredy had only showed Captain Hades the way to the little house where Juvia slept but being the calculating man that he was, he thought of a plan that would ensure he would get what he was really after. Though he would not approach the young lady with force or enlist fear. He decided to take a more sophisticated and proper demeanor. When he finally allowed himself to be seen by her she became stiff with fright. But with ironical politeness Hades raised his hat to Juvia and offered her his arm. She shuddered in refusal.

"You need not be frightened Miss Fernandes." He said in his best gentleman voice. 

"Not be frightened? Of you?" She said as if such a thing was an impossibility and in a way it was. 

"I haven't come to do you any harm. I only wish to invite you to dine with me this evening and to have a little chat."

"I don't think it would be a good idea to go anywhere with you. You did try to kill my brothers."

"True but I will try not to harm a lady if it can be avoided."

"Wasn't Lucy a lady? And if I remember correctly didn't you try to kill her too?"

"Yes but I did give her a chance to save herself. Sadly she didn't take it and chose to die." He said. "I give you my word that no harm will come to you this evening and I'll gladly allow you to leave when you wish. Of course if you want to over complicate things by calling out for help, well I can't guarantee no one else will get hurt."

Every voice inside of her told her not to go along with this. That it would end badly but she didn't want to do anything that could cause unnecessary blood shed or harm to befall anyone. So she reluctantly allowed him to escort her to a part of the forest where a table and chairs had been set up along with a very refined dinner. Juvia took her seat but she had no appetite. 

"Muscat Miss?" Capricorn said offering her a bottle of the alcoholic beverage. 

"I'm a little girl." She responded, aghast by the offer.

"Rum then?"

"No thank you."

Hades rolled his remaining eye in frustration and shoved Capricorn to the side. 

"I'm told you ran away from home." Hades said to her.

"I..." She said not fully acknowledging it until now. "I had never thought of it that way. I suppose I did."

"How wonderful." He said. 

"My parents wanted to me to grow up but I...I guess I wasn't ready."

"Oh growing up is such a barbarous business." He scoffed. "Full of inconvenience and pimples. Ugh. And then the feelings come. Gray is so lucky to be untroubled by them."

That caused her to think about to the argument she had with him a few nights ago.

"Oh no, he cannot love. It is part of the riddle of his being." He explained. 

"Cigar?" Capricorn offered her which resulted in Hades stabbing a lobster as a means to tell him to shut his trap. 

"It is truly a sad thing when a young man cannot recognize a lady's more gentle feelings toward him." Hades continued. "Especially when he's done nothing to deserve such feelings."

From a distance Meredy watched them and she wondered why the pirates had not grabbed Juvia and carried her off yet. She became further suspicious when she noticed the pirate crew's parrot perched on a tree, looking as if it was waiting for a signal of some sort.

"But it doesn't have to be this way." Hades said noticing the melancholy look on Juvia's face. "Tell me, has thou ever wanted to be a pirate?"

"I can't say the thought has ever crossed my mind." She replied in an unsure voice. "I mean I could not be expected to pillage."

"Oh no it wouldn't be anything like that. Your only duty would be to tell stories and comfort my poor lonely crew who know nothing of the gentleness of a female."

"I'm flattered by your offer." She said truly feeling flattered while at the same time uncomfortable. "But I'm not sure about that."

"I assure you, you would be greatly appreciated and treated far better than how Gray treats you.

"Why are you making this offer to me?"

"I guess you could say it's because you remind me of a lady I was once so fond of. Like you she was bright, caring, lovely, and infatuated with a young man who didn't really appreciate her."

"I thank you for your kind words and consideration but I don't think my mother would like the idea of me becoming a pirate."

"Do you even remember your mother?"

"Well of course I..." But she trailed off upon discovering that it had been so very long since she had thought about her mother. In fact she almost couldn't recall her mother's face entirely, which in that moment made her feel very uneasy. "I...I...I think I should leave now."

"As you wish." He said. "You may leave and none of my men will follow you. I give you my word."

Juvia got up from her chair and left to go back to the underground house. She checked behind herself a few times to make sure no pirates followed her but she saw none. Yes true to his word, Hades did not send any of his men to follow her. But with a snap of his fingers, the parrot perched on the tree followed after her. At once Meredy figured out his true plan and tried to stop the bird but Hades quickly snatched her up into his fist.

"Thank you my dear, you've been most helpful." He then locked her inside of a glass lantern case. 


	21. Chapter 20

When Juvia made it back to the underground house she still found herself unable to eat and now unable to speak. She was too busy thinking about her mother and trying to figure out why neither she or her father had been in her thoughts for such a long time. But the more Juvia thought of her mother, the less she could remember.

"Natsu." She said to her brother who at the moment was stuffing his face full of food.

"Yes?" He replied after swallowing a large mouthful of his meal.

"What's your father's name?"

"My father?"

"Yes what's his name?"

"Well I'm not sure if I'll ever acknowledge him as my father but for the sake of everyone else, Gray."

She then turned to Romeo.

"Romeo who is your mother?" She asked him.

"Well that's easy." Elfman muttered.

"You are my mother Juvia." Romeo said.

The children all laughed thinking it was a game but Juvia was quite unnerved by the answers her brothers had given her. Unnerved and worried. Later after dinner as the children all go into bed to hear another one of her stories, she realized that Gray had not yet returned and decided to take this moment to ask the lost boys a few questions.

"Why can't we hear the story now?" Gajeel complained.

"Because Gray is not back yet and it would be very rude to start without him." She said. "Besides I would like to talk to you four about something."

"What is it?" Elfman asked.

"Do any of you remember your real mothers? The ones who are grown ups, not pretend like me?"

Gajeel, Elfman, Sting, and Rogue all took a moment to think over her question before they answered.

"I don't know." Rogue said. "Did any of us even have real mothers?"

"I think I had a real mother once." Gajeel said.

"What was she like?"

"I forget. Which is weird because normally I remember what happened before I came here."

"I had a white rat." Sting said.

"That's no mother!" Gajeel said shoving him.

"You wanna go porcupine head?!"

"Bring it you weasel faced dolt!"

"Boys please." Juvia said. "No fighting at bedtime or there will be no story."

"Sorry ma'am." The two said quickly straightening up their act.

"That's better." She said. "So none of you remember your real mothers? You don't even think you had them?"

They shook their heads. Now Juvia was more worried than ever. If the lost boys couldn't remember their real parents due to staying here for so long then what would that mean for Juvia and her brothers if they stayed?

Shortly afterward, Gray finally came back and sat on a nearby stool to hear Juvia's story. However he would soon learn that this story would be the one he hated most.

"There once was a gentleman." She started. "And a lady."

"Was the lady pretty?" Elfman asked.

"She was the loveliest lady in all the world with long red hair that would make you think of Summer roses and strawberries."

"What were their names?" Rogue asked.

"Jellal and Erza Fernandes."

"I knew them." Natsu said, to annoy the others.

"I think I knew them." Romeo said rather doubtfully.

"They were married you know." Juvia explained.

"Married is when a gentleman and a lady agree to stay together forever, right?" Elfman asked.

"Yes."

"Are you Gray and married?"

She looked over at Gray and she could tell by his grit teeth that he was not pleased with the story already.

"No we are not. But Mr. and Mrs. Fernandes were happily married. But there was a time when they were very sad because they were afraid they wouldn't have what they wanted most?"

"White rats?" Sting said.

"No. Children. They wanted so badly to be a mother and a father but for some reason it would seem that their wish would never come true. Then one day they met three lost children, two boys and a girl. They had lost their families and were all alone in the world with only each other to look after them. But Mr. and Mrs. Fernandes loved the children as soon as they saw them so they decided to be their new parents."

"Were the children happy?" Gajeel asked.

"They were happy and they had a faithful caretaker called Panther Lily. But one day the little girl in the family made her father angry so he chained up Panther Lily and told her that she had to grow up when she didn't want to. So she and her brothers flew away from home, to Tendrou Island where they could always have fun and never ever grow up."

"And they lived happily ever after?" Elfman asked.

"No. No the story doesn't end there because when the children flew away they didn't think about how their parents would feel once they were gone."

"Did their parents forget them?" Gajeel asked.

"Certainly not. They wouldn't forget. They loved their children too much to do that. So the mother, Mrs. Fernandes would always leave the nursery window open to let her children know that she and their father remembered them and would always wait for them. Real mothers always love their children and never forget them."

Juvia heard Gray let out a hollow groan.

"Is something the matter?" She asked him.

"You're wrong about mothers." He answered in a voice full of bitterness. "They don't always love their children and they do forget them."

"Not real mothers." She argued.

"Real mothers are no different from any other cruel and awful grown up!"

"That's not true. You don't know that!"

"Believe me I do! Mothers just throw their children away like they're common trash!"

"How can you say that?"

"Because that's what my mother did to me!" He shouted in a voice that was a mixture of anger and hurt.

His words and tone of voice caused a great silence to fill the room. They all gathered round him in affright, so alarming was his agitation and with a fine candour he told them what he had hitherto concealed.

"Before I came here I lived in an orphanage and the grown ups who worked there would always hit me, give me very little to eat, and worst of all lock me in a cold room where I would be alone for hours. During all that time I thought, like you Juvia that my mother loved me. I thought I had been taken from her and my father and that someday they would come for me. But when I met Meredy she showed me my last memory of them and I saw my mother leave me at that terrible place without any remorse!"

I am not sure that this was true, but Gray thought it was true and it scared them.

"Are you sure mothers are like that?" Sting asked.

"Yes." He said completely convinced. "So that's why it's best that children never grow up. If they do they'll turn mean, selfish, cruel, and uncaring."

Juvia felt sorry for Gray after hearing his story and now understood why he thought the way he did about grown ups.

"Gray I am so sorry that it was like that for you. It wasn't fair and it wasn't right."

He looked at her, thinking that maybe his words had convinced her to give up hope on her own parents. But in truth it did just the opposite.

"We're going home." She declared looking at her brothers.

"Home?" Romeo whined as if he had been told the worst news ever.

"Leave Tendrou Island?" Natsu said in a protest like manner.

Juvia gave them a gentle look and moved to hug them.

"We must." She said softly. "We have forgotten our parents. We must leave at once before we in turn are forgotten."

Both boys looked ready to argue until it finally dawned on them that their sister was telling the truth.

"I've forgotten...My parents." Natsu said, looking horrified at the fact that he had allowed such a thing to happen. Poor Romeo could not speak due to the shock he felt over this realization. "We must leave."

But the lost boys immediately objected. For having met Juvia they now knew in what they called their hearts that one cannot get on well without a mother.

"She can't leave!" Rogue whined.

"She's the only mother we have!" Elfman said.

"I say we keep her here!" Sting said. "We won't let her go!"

"I won't allow that." Gajeel interjected. "I do not want her to leave either but the first who does not behave to Juvia like a gentleman I will blood him severely."

"What do you say Gray?" Elfman asked.

"Yes what do you think of this?" Rogue asked.

The lost boys secretly hoped Gray would forbid her from leaving. Gray looked at Juvia and she could tell by his facial expression that he would very much like to make her stay. But he had seen her parents mourn and wait for her and he could tell by her sad blue eyes that she wanted to go back to them more than anything in the world. He didn't want her to leave but he never made a child stay here if they didn't want to.

"If you wish it." He said in an emotionless voice.

"If you wish it?!" Sting said surprised by his answer.

"If you wish it!" He snapped before flying out of the house.


	22. Chapter 21

Little did the children know, was that no one was going home that night. On that night Captain Hades was going to put his ultimate plan into action. After the parrot told him what he had seen when following Juvia, he prepared to head straight for Gray's hideout so that he would at last have his revenge.

"Just think of it Capricorn." Hades said as his first mate polished his boots. "After all these years I shall finally rid myself of that boy."

"Aye Captain. A great day this is." Capricorn said, getting real sick of this routine.

"And I have you to thank for it." He said ushering toward Meredy who was still trapped in a lantern case, now perched on his desk.

"You lying, filthy, rat!" She cursed. "You tricked me!"

"You've got no one to blame but yourself. I ticked and manipulated you but it was your choice to trust me and you did. Ironic isn't it? That Gray was betrayed by his own fairy."

"I won't let you do this!"

"You already have. You did the very minute you agreed to lead me to that girl." He said. "But don't look so guilty, in the end I'm doing you a favor. Once he's dead you'll be free, no longer bound by love or desire. I freed myself from both when I eliminated the object of my affection years ago."

"The woman you fell for? You killed her?!"

"I didn't have to be like that. If she had only accepted me then I would have spared her but she chose that scoundrel over me every time. She loved him so much that she ended up dying for him, although her sacrifice was quickly proven to be in vain when I killed my rival that same night. At first I mourned her loss but in time I realized that by killing her and I had completely freed myself from the suffering she and her husband had put me through. Well...Almost completely freed myself. There's just one, small, bit of their love that just refuses to die and keeps me from knowing peace. Gray."

"Gray? What are you talking about? What does he have to do with that? Why do you want him dead? Why do you hate him so?"

"Let me answer that question with a question of my own my dear fairy." He said. "What exactly is born from the union between a man and a woman?"

At first Meredy was confused by his question and was too upset and angry to think about what his words meant. But after taking a moment to calm down and remember the meaning of an old fairy phrase that said: A tree of love will sometimes bear fruit, she put the pieces together and finally realized what he was implying.

"No." She said shaking her head in shock. "No."

"Yes." He said nodding smugly.

"Don't tell me that...That your former love and rival are Gray's parents?"

"When Mika told me that she was going to marry Silver Fullbuster I was devastated. Certain that she had chosen him for being more adventurous and rebellious while I was just a prim and proper gentleman. I wanted to prove to her that I wasn't mediocre so I left the navy and began my new life as a pirate. I gave up everything to impress her. My wealth, my honor, my people's respect, I became a criminal all for her and what do I find after I return to her from a year of pillaging? That she's given birth to a baby boy fathered by a man who didn't deserve her."

Capricorn took a step back due to taking notice of the insane rage building up in his captain.

"That child was the final straw. As soon as I saw the baby in her arms I knew right then and there that she'd never leave Silver so I snapped. He humiliated me and stole my woman so I challenged him to a duel. He accepted but only to protect his family from me and he feared that our duel would end in his death so he told Mika to take that squalling brat of theirs and run. She did but I warned her that no matter where she went, no matter what she did, I'd find her and she knew that. She knew that she'd never escape me. So she hid the brat and returned to commit one final act of love, throwing herself in front of Silver just as my blade moved to give him the killing blow."

Capricorn had been afraid of Hades many times before but not like this. Seeing him in this deranged state made the first mate almost petrified.

"Oh the look on his face as he watched her die. It was like he had lost the will to live, but it was his fault she was dead. If he had just let me have her then none of that would have happened so I killed him while he was in that weak and broken state. His death, unlike hers was slow and agonizing and I relished in it all."

"So you got your revenge!" Meredy cried. "They hurt you but Gray didn't! You don't need to kill him! You already killed the people you blamed for your pain! They're gone! They're dead!"

"They both live as long as he does! He's the product of their love! A reminder that my woman chose another man! I would have killed him the same night I killed his parents but his father in his final moments of life remembered a trick he learned during one of his adventures. He opened a portal to Tendrou Island and with the last of his strength he pushed me into it. Trapping me here for the rest of my life, all in hopes that I'd never be able to find his son. But then thirteen years later a boy with Mika's playful eyes and Silver's smug face came to that very same island. What a delicious sense of irony."

"You're insane! Completely out of your mind! Gray shouldn't have to die because of your jealousy!"

"Yet you believe that Juvia should die because of yours?"

She became silent and full of shame when at long last she acknowledged who was really at fault for everything bad that had happened to her. She wasn't that different from Captain Hades. She had let her own jealousy drive her to hate someone innocent, betray the person she loved most, ruin her life, and through it all she blamed everyone except the real person who was responsible. Herself.

"Oh no." She said letting it all sink in. "What have I done?"

"You've liberated yourself." He said. "Just as I liberated myself all those years ago. In time you'll understand that you did the right thing."

He put on his best coat then put three weapons on his belt. A sword, a pistol, and bottle of poison. Once that was done he left his quarters with Capricorn and made ready to leave with the crew.

"You've been awfully quiet Mr. Capricorn." He said. "Something troubling you?"

"No sir it's just that...You told me about the mishap with Mika and Sliver but you never told me Gray was their son or that in the end you killed her."

"So? It doesn't change anything does it?"

"No it's just that...I knew you were ruthless but this..." He wasn't sure what else to say. "Once you kill him what will you do with the other children?"

"What else? Kill them as well?"

"Isn't that taking things a little too far?"

"Well I'll give their little 'mother' a chance to live however not one of those boys will be left alive."

"But what do you have to gain by killing them?"

"The insurance that no child will ever dare challenge me again."


	23. Chapter 22

Gray was not gone long and when he returned he found all the boys gathered around Juvia, looking very excited about something. For a moment he felt relieved, thinking that their excitement was because she had changed her mind and decided to stay. But that relief turned back to disappointment when he saw their expressions change upon seeing that he had returned. They had gone from excited to worry, the kind of worry that a child gets when they're about to ask a parent for something they know that said parent would disapprove of. 

"I have arranged a fairy guide to lead you back." He said calmly but not in a way to hide how he really felt.

"Gray." Juvia said standing up from the group and walking toward him. "We've been talking and...What if you all came back with us? You and the lost boys?"

"Can we go? Please?" The four boys implored. They took it for granted that if they went he would go also, but really they scarcely cared. Thus children are ever ready, when novelty knocks, to desert their dearest ones.

"If you wish it." He replied again.

They were all lit with smiles that were brighter than stars and at once the boys jumped with joy.

"Hurry now." Juvia said to the boys. "Get your things."

"And you're sure that your parents won't think us rather a handful?" Elfman asked in the middle of his jump.

"Oh no." Juvia said rapidly thinking it out. "Mother and Father will do their best to find you all suitable parents and until then they'll gladly let you stay with us."

With that said all the boys, including Natsu and Romeo immediately rushed to get their things. Gray and Juvia were left alone in the room, he had a look on his face that made her heart sink.

"You can come too." She offered. "I know you think grown ups are all horrible but they're not. You could have good parents who love you and take care of you."

"Would they send me to school?" He inquired craftily.

"Yes."

"Then to an office?"

"I suppose so."

"Soon I should be a man."

"If you were to leave this place and come live in Magnolia then yes it would be inevitable."

"I thought so. You can't catch me and make me a man."

"Gray."

She raised her hand to gently touch him but he moved away from her.

"I want to always be a boy and have fun." He smiled bitterly.

Poor Juvia felt her heart sink even deeper.

"You say so, but I think it is your biggest pretend." She said. "You claim that this life makes you happy and maybe it has for a very long time but I don't think it will be enough for you. Not forever."

"Why do you think that?"

"Because I think I've learned something about you. You're afraid of being alone. That is why you bring other children here. Yes you do believe that by doing that you're rescuing them from a terrible life but you also do it because subconsciously you can't bear your own loneliness."

His expression did not change and he even laughed at little, trying to convince her that her theory was just a ridiculous notion but the look in his eyes confirmed that her theory was a fact. Because those eyes were pleading with her not to leave him all alone. He was cocky, he was brave, he was clever, he could fly, he could fight, he could do things no other child could do. He was no ordinary child. But that didn't change the fact that ordinary or not, he was still a child and all children dreaded being alone. 

"You think that if you leave I'll be unhappy." He said. "But I won't. Nothing can make me unhappy. I have no unhappy thoughts."

"Do you understand that once I leave I won't be able to come back?" She asked.

"I do and I do not care. I can always find other children to bring here, I've been doing it for years. I won't cry or fuss or blubber once you're gone. I'll continue living everyday like I normally do and eventually you'll just be a faded memory."

"Is that what you think you'll become to me once I grow up? A faded memory?" 

He didn't answer. He just went off to his own room. Juvia accepted that she couldn't persuade him to change his mind so she went to prepare herself for the trip back. The boys had already packed up their things and were most eager to leave. The fairy guide Gray had brought waited for them patiently but sadly met a quick end when he heard the unfeeling voice of Hades whisper suddenly:

"There's no such thing as fairies."

The poor creature then dropped dead and Hades flicked his tiny corpse away before proceeding toward the hideout with his crew.

One by one each of the boys went up the stairway which lead out of the underground house. Juvia was the last one out but before she left she filled a small cup with a little water and sap which she then placed on to a table just outside of Gray's room.

"At least remember to take your medicine." She said softly. "Goodbye Gray."

She was hurt that he didn't even have the decency to say goodbye to her or the boys. But rather than scold him for it, she just went on her way. As soon as she came out, she found Natsu, Romeo, and the lost boys all tied up and gagged. Next thing she saw was the entire crew of Grimoire Heart surrounding them. She tried to scream but she was gagged herself by one pirate called Rustyrose. 

"None of that." He said gripping her arms so she couldn't run either. "It is most improper for a lady to scream."

The other pirates laughed at his comment, although Hades just gave a vindictive chuckle as he faced the young girl. 

"A new era begins now." He said. "Take them away." 

With that order given, the pirates immediately left for their ship with Juvia being forcibly carried over Rystyrose's shoulder and the boys being dragged along by the ropes that binded them. Speaking of the ship, back in Captain Hades's quarters Meredy was trying every thing she could to escape from the lantern case she was trapped in. She tried to break the glass by beating and kicking it but her tiny fists and feet just weren't strong enough. Nor was she strong enough to tip the lantern over. There was seemingly no way out. That is until she heard the sound of Grimoire Heart's parrot laughing at her. 

There it stood across from the desk, sitting on his perch, mocking her failure with it's excruciating voice. Oh she would just love to get even with that small vulture. Then she got an idea.

"Hey you!" She called to get his attention. "Are you really a bird or just a rat with wings and feathers?"

The parrot glared at her, she responded by blowing it a raspberry. The parrot squawked and flew over to the desk. Good, he was close but not close enough.

"I bet the reason the crew didn't bring you along is because of your really tiny and really stupid bird brain." She taunted. "Who's a stupid bird? Who's a stupid bird? Stupid Polly want a cracker?"

That really made the parrot angry and in rage it lunged for the lantern case, knocking it over in the process, which broke the glass, and thus freeing Meredy. She flew off the desk, the parrot chased her but she led it into a small port hole which was big enough for her to get through but not the bird pursuing her. So the nasty parrot got stuck.

"Wow you really are a stupid bird." She snickered before flying away.


	24. Chapter 23

After the children were captured and taken away, Captain Hades began the process of completing his greatest and most difficult to achieve goal. He stepped through the secret door in the tree and walked down the stairway. Though as he went further and further underground he discovered that the built in shaft was very narrow and small. Of course that was to expected of a home built solely for children to live in but this would make the pirate's murder attempt quite uneasy. He arrived at the foot of the shaft and stood still, biting at his breath, which had almost left him. As his eyes became accustomed to the dim light and various objects in the home under the tree took shape, but the only one on which his greedy gaze rested, long sought for and found at last, was the great bed. On the bed lay Gray asleep.

He reached out to grab the boy but the shaft was so small and narrow that he couldn't even make it through the end hole. A grown man like him just couldn't get through no matter how well he twisted and turned his body. Squirming didn't help either. Killing Gray by strangulation or stabbing would not be possible in this situation. He cursed at the notion quietly under his breath. Was his enemy to escape him after all?

But what was that? The red in his eye had caught sight of Gray's medicine standing on a ledge within easy reach. He fathomed what it was straightaway, and immediately knew that the sleeper was in his power. With a victorious yet malice grin, he reached for something in the pocket of his coat.

Lest he should be taken alive, Hades always carried upon his person a dreadful poison, blended by himself of all the death-dealing rings that had come into his possession. These he had boiled down into a red liquid quite unknown to science, which was probably the most virulent poison in existence. Known to cause instant death and without antidote. 

Five drops of this he now added to Gray's cup and after taking one long gloating look at his victim, wormed his way with difficulty up the tree. He and Mr. Capricorn then left and on their journey they were spotted by Meredy as she was hurrying back. When she saw the pleased look on the captain's face she feared the worst but then she saw him place his bottle of poison back into his coat which made her hope that Gray could still be saved. She bolted to the tree like a bullet fired from a pistol. 

For a little time after the pirates and children left, Gray had woken up and for a moment forgot that his friends were not here. When he realized it he attempted to prove to himself that he did not care. He thought about all the things about each of them that he had never liked and always irritated him, and now that they were gone he never had to worry about what he found so irritating again. It worked for a moment and he felt a little better but then he unintentionally remembered everything he loved about all of them, Juvia in particular.

He remembered how one night poor Romeo woke up from a bad dream and absolutely refused to go back to sleep unless she spent the rest of the night in the underground house. She complied and held her youngest brother until he drifted off again though Gray and the other boys save for Natsu thought Romeo very wimpy for getting all upset about some dream. However in an ironic twist of fate, Gray had a bad dream of his own that same night. He dreamt that he was back at the orphanage and once again locked up in that dark, cold, room. All alone. 

The fear he felt in that dream was so horrible that he had wailed piteously in his sleep and it didn't wake the boys but it did wake Juvia who had always been a light sleeper. She woke him and asked him about his nightmare though he refused to tell her what it was or admit to her that he had allowed himself to be frightened by it. Nevertheless she swore to him she would never tell that he had been scared by a dream, agreed to sit with him on his bed til he felt better, and soothed him in dear ways of her own invention. When he grew calmer he fell back asleep and she ended up falling asleep by his side. Come the wee hours of the morning, he woke before anyone else did and found that his arms had unconsciously moved to hold her. It was the most he had touched her since the night of the fairy dance. The action brought back that foreign emotion and it made him panic. So without waking her, he moved her back into her little house and pretended it never happened even though he very much liked her softness and warmth.

Now Juvia had left and he would never know her softness or warmth again. The boys had left as well so he would never be able to laugh and play with them again either. He was all alone again like at the orphanage. Yes Juvia's deduction about him was correct, he did fear being alone above all things in the world. He nearly cried but it struck him as being indignant so he held his sadness in. But holding sadness in didn't necessarily make it go away and he found himself wishing that he had at least said goodbye to them all.

He glanced over at his medicine and he thought that maybe if he did something that pleased Juvia, he would feel a little better. So his hand grabbed the fatal cup and just has he lifted it up, Meredy came flying down the shaft seemingly out of no where.

"Meredy?" He said both surprised and agitated by her sudden return. "What are you doing here? I thought I told you that we weren't friends anymore."

"We can discuss that later!" She cried. "Right now you can't drink that! You can't drink anything in here!"

"Why?"

"Because it could be poisoned! Poisoned by Hades!"

"Yeah right." He said rolling his eyes in disbelief.

"I'm telling the truth! Put down that cup! Now!"

"If you're trying to get me to forgive you, you're wasting your time because that will never happen. So why don't you stop with the lies?"

"I'm not lying!"

"Really? Like how you weren't lying about Juvia being a bird and me giving the order for her to be shot? You really expect me to believe anything you say after that?"

"Gray I know what I did was wrong and I'm sorry but you have to believe me on this! Hades was here and I'm certain he put poison in whatever it is you're about to drink!"

"That's ridiculous. There's no way Hades could have found my hideout. You just don't want me to drink my medicine because you know it's something Juvia would have liked me to do. So enough with the lies and get out!"

He raised the cup. No time for words now, time for deeds, and with one of her lightning movements Meredy got between his lips and the liquid of the cup, and drained it to the dregs. 

"You drank my medicine!" He spat angrily.

But his anger quickly turned to confusion and concern when she started reeling air and her wings could scarcely carry her. Her light was dimming. 

"Meredy why is your light going out?" He asked.

She couldn't fly anymore or even stand. She tottered on to the table and spoke in a very weak voice.

"I...I...I did a terrible thing." It hurt her to speak. "I...I helped Hades find your hideout...I'm sorry...I was just so angry and I...I never wished any harm for you...I know you can never forgive me but...But please understand that I...I only wanted what I believed was best for you...and...and to be by your side."

"You're not dying are you?" He asked. "Because you can't die. You're not supposed to!"

He could deny it all he wanted but it didn't change the truth. She was dying. He carefully picked up her delicate and tiny body into his hands, then brought her outside hoping the warm sun would somehow restore her. But it did nothing and in a voice that was so low that at first he could not make out what, she said:

"You're the best friend I ever had."

He knelt near her in distress. Every moment her light was growing fainter and he knew that if it went out she would be no more. He felt his eyes swell with tears, he had never once had to deal with the cruel reality of watching someone you love die. She just couldn't die, not now. She was his first friend and the closest thing he had to a family. They had their differences but she had always looked out for him, advised him the best way she could, she was like a sister who was always there and he had a habit of sometimes being so mean to her. Never appreciating what she did for him. And worst of all she would die because he was too stubborn to listen to her warning.

"Please come back." He whispered bitterly. "Please Meredy, don't leave me. I'm so sorry Meredy. I'm so sorry!"

He let out a cry of angst and regret as the sky above him suddenly darkened.


	25. Chapter 24

On board the pirate ship Natsu, Romeo, and the lost boys were thrown on to the floor, all huddled up and still with their wrists binded by rope. They struggled and resisted for as long as they could but in the end it proved futile. They went white when they saw the pirates Yomazu and Kawazu preparing a certain plank of wood. They knew very well what that plank was going to be used for. Hades intended to force them to walk on and them plummet from it into the water with their hands bound so they could not swim and would eventually drown.

Juvia however was not in their little huddle. She had been tied to the mast of the ship and Captain Hades stepped toward her with that same malicious smile on his face that made her both afraid and disgusted. 

"There's still room for a storyteller." He said as his hand stroked her face. 

"I'd rather die." She said scornfully.

For a moment he looked as if he appeared to be having a flashback or thinking back to something. Something that made him look very unsettling, but it didn't last and he regained his composure. 

"What a shame." He said.

"Captain!" Capricorn said going to his side. "Look at the sky."

He did as did every other pirate. The sky had become so dark, there wasn't even any stars to be seen. The water became frozen all around and rapid snow began to fall and blow in a harsh winter wind, in the mist of it an anguished cry could be heard and Hades recognized it as Gray's. The sound pleased him.

"He is dead." He declared triumphantly.

"No!" Shouted the lost boys in horrified disbelief. "No! No! Impossible! He can't be dead!"

But as the atmosphere of Tendrou Island became more cold and dark they found themselves being convinced that it was true. The pirates on the other hand cheered in victory but Hades raised his hand to silence them. Though thrilled at his apparent success at killing his foe, he still had some formalities and respect.

"Hats off!" He ordered. "A moment of silence for our fallen enemy."

The pirates did as he commanded. The children were stunned with grief by these news. Poor Juvia felt as if once again an arrow had been shot at her only this time it did strike her heart. Struck it and broke it into a million pieces, the boy who had become so dear to her was dead. Now she would die and her brothers would die and the other boys would die. They would all die. She had never been so scared in her entire life. Scared or heartbroken. What hurt most of all to her was that she and Gray would die without reconciliation, and she and her brothers would die without ever seeing their parents again.

"We sail at dawn!" Hades announced which granted his crew permission to cheer.

Now as you all know Gray was not dead but he was in sorrow and that could also trigger the bleak climate change in the island. His sorrow was so deep over the fact that his fairy Meredy was dying. He didn't know what to do. For the first time in his life he actually felt helpless. He wanted to stop Meredy from dying but he did not know how. There was only one thing he could think of that might save her. Faith. If enough children believed in fairies it could help her recover but were no children there and it was night time in the real world. Still he had to try.

"I do believe in fairies. I do. I do." He whispered. "I do believe in fairies. I do. I do."

He kept repeating it over and over again. It started out quiet but soon became louder and louder and louder. He stood up, flung out his arms, recited that phrase hoping it would reach out to any children.

"I do believe in fairies! I do! I do!"

It was a plea, a prayer that anyone who heard him would have the belief in fairies if only to save Meredy's life. His prayer reached Juvia first. She didn't hear it but somehow she felt it and cried out loud for all to hear:

"I do believe in fairies. I do. I do."

The pirates and the boys looked at her confused but that didn't stop her from saying it again.

"I do believe in fairies! I do! I do!"

She only said those words yet she managed to encourage the other children to speak the same words.

"I do believe in fairies! I do! I do!" They chanted. "I do believe in fairies! I do! I do!"

Their cheers were strong and loud, and as if by magic they helped Gray's prayer reach out to all the children of Magnolia London who were asleep in their beds. From their lips they spoke of their belief in fairies.

"I do believe in fairies. I do. I do."

The faith was so powerful that it even reached Erza, Jellal, and Mirajane who were grown adults yet somehow still children themselves deep down in their hearts.

"I do believe in fairies. I do. I do." Erza found herself saying for a reason she did not understand. 

"I do believe in fairies! I do! I do!" Jellal declared from his office, not at all caring if someone saw and thought that he looked ridiculous.

"I do believe in fairies." Mirajane said suddenly as she was drinking tea in the foyer.

It was phenomenal. Every child on both Tendrou Island and in Magnolia, London believed in fairies as did the adult guardians of the Fernandes children. None of them had any doubt at all that fairies were real. 

"I do believe in fairies! I do! I do!" Gray shouted as loudly as his lungs would allow him and the final statement along with the faith of all those children and those three grown ups was enough to restore Meredy's health. Her light returned full aglow and she was flashing all around.

"Oh Meredy you're okay!" He laughed with relieved joy. "I'm so glad!"

"Does that mean you forgive me? And that we're friends again?" She asked hopefully.

"Always." He assured her with a smile. "Even though you did reveal my hideout location to Hades. I forgive you but I have to ask, what were you thinking?"

"I said I was sorry and technically I didn't reveal the location of your hideout. I revealed the location to Juvia's house and he sent his parrot to follow her back."

"And why exactly did you tell him where Juvia's house was?" He said raising his eye brow.

"Eh...Heh, heh, I might have done that under the impression that he wanted to take her away from the island."

"Oh Meredy." He sighed. "What am I going to do with you."

"Again I'm sorry. I was angry and jealous and the way he talks, his words just really got to me. He's very good at getting inside a person's head."

"Your head maybe but I'm much too smart to let anything he says get to me."

"Maybe." She said unsure due to the fact that she herself once thought she was immune to his clever tongue. "That aside we have another problem."

"Which is?"

"Grimoire Heart has kidnapped all your friends and I heard Hades muttering what their plans for them are. At dawn they're going to kill the boys, leave the island, and possibly take Juvia with them."

"Why take her?"

"That brings up another subject that I've been meaning to tell you. When I was with Hades I learned something about him. Something that relates to you."

"I don't follow."

"Gray why do you think Hades hates you?"

"Because I plucked out his eye and fed it to a dragon, even though it was an accident and in defense. Overreact much, Captain?""

"Yes well it turns out his hatred for you goes much deeper than that."

"What do you mean?"

"You recall that when you first met him, he immediately tried to kill you. Did you ever wonder why that was? Why he seemingly just wanted to kill some random child he just met?"

"No. I figured it was because he was a grown up and all grown ups are either mean or evil."

"You believe that and with what you've been through it's understandable that you would. But your notion about grown ups is wrong. Your notion about your parents is wrong."

Gray looked at her as if she had opened an old wound and the sky which had started to lighten due to his joy at the fairy's revival, darkened again because of the bitterness he felt from the very source of his hatred toward adults.

"I told you never to mention my parents. You know I don't like to think of them or be reminded of what they did to me." 

"But Gray there's something about them you don't know. What you saw in the memory I showed you is only one part of the story you shared with them. There's so much more to it and you need to know the truth. The truth about them and Hades and why you were really left at that orphanage all those years ago." 

She then beckoned him to follow her somewhere, he didn't fully understand what she was trying to do but he followed her lead.

"Where are we going?" He asked her.

"I don't think telling you the truth will help you understand so I'll show it to you and I know just the place that will help me do that."


	26. Chapter 25

The atmosphere and climate of the island had still not changed from the bitter cold. This was because Gray was feeling very distressed and uneasy. He really didn't want to know anything more about his parents but Meredy insisted it would do him good and the fairy did drink poison for him so he wasn't going to upset her any time soon.

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Gray asked her. "Shouldn't we try to rescue everyone and save this for another time?"

"Don't worry, he won't try anything until dawn." She assured him.

"What if he changes his mind and decides to act earlier?"

"Hades is a precise man who relies on good form or at least what he views as good form. Being on time happens to be something he sees as good form so if he declares he won't do something til dawn then he won't do it til dawn."

He followed her to the immortal tree of Tendrou Island where the fairies lived. This confused Gray for he had been here many times before and during all those times, he had received no information or answers about his origins or his parents. 

"Why are we here?" He asked.

"This tree has many powers Gray." Meredy explained. "It can create fairies, provides a home for the fairies, keeps the island and all who reside on it from aging any further."

"Yes I knew all that."

"But did you know that this tree has all the memories of those who have lived or been on this island?"

"No."

"This tree knows all your memories and Hades's. Knows them and can show them to you. You and that man both a have some connection to your parents and this tree knows how it all began."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"After I showed you that memory of being left at the orphanage you said you didn't want know anything else about your family. So I never said anything, thinking you were probably right to assume they just abandoned you. But then Hades revealed to me why he really hated you so much and after hearing that I knew that it was imperative that you learn more about your mother and father."

They moved closer to the tree.

"Place your hand on the trunk and leave the rest to me." 

Gray did as she instructed. He raised his hand and placed it on the hollow trunk of the great tree.

"Show Gray Fullbuster the memories he shares with Precht Gaeblog. The ones that will help him understand why he was orphaned and why the evil man harbors such hatred toward him."

The tree's wood became a glow in sparkling gold streams which traveled down the trunk and to Gray's hand. As soon as his fingers made contact with the shimmering gold his vision changed. He was no longer looking at the tree or Meredy. He was now looking at a stage, a stage in a grand theater. At the center of the stage their stood a beautiful woman dressed elegantly like a proper English woman, her ebony black hair being held up by pearl and beaded pins, and her eyes were so very much like Gray's. So full of playfulness and whimzy. 

The crowds of people in the audience applauded enthusiastically for her. Some cheered, some whistled, some even threw flowers to her. She smiled to thank them for their kind applause. She then left the stage and was greeted by a man who at first Gray did not recognize because of how differently he was dressed and carried himself but the very moment he spoke he knew who it was.

"You were magnificent my beauty." He said. "Good form on stage."

It was Captain Hades but he was not the man that Gray knew. For one thing he had both of his eyes which didn't surprise him but he appeared younger and more easy to look at. Gray would cut off his tongue before he ever said that man was good looking in any way. He was dressed in some type of uniform, he had no beard, and he seemed to walk with an air of being sophisticated and well off.

"Thank you Precht." The woman said kindly. "I am grateful you came to see my performance."

"I make it my duty to never miss a show when you are the star Mika."

"You are much too good to me Precht." 

"Would you care to join me for a stroll by the harbor?" He offered.

"I would be delighted."

He watched as the woman called Mika and Hades who back then went by the name as Precht walked along the harbors of Magnolia, London together. During their little stroll Mika could not seem to stop looking out toward the sea, searching for something.

"You're looking for his ship again aren't you?" Precht said with disdain in his voice.

"Yes I am." She admitted. "His ship is two weeks late but each day I pray he'll come back."

Precht's face made a look of envy and contempt but then it changed back to a look of adoration for the woman standing next to him.

"Mika I apologize if I am coming off as forward but I must speak my mind." He said taking her hand. "I have been promoted to an exceptional position and am now secured with a more than enough income. I have almost all I could ever desire save for one thing. A marriage to a fine woman."

Mika looked away from him and sighed, as if she knew what he was about to ask. 

"Will you not reconsider my offer?"

"Precht you are a good man and a dear friend to me but I-"

"No please, do not say it."

"I have to. False hope is not fair." She said as gently as she could. "I cannot be your wife."

"Why must you always rebuff me?"

"Why must you always persist in this? You know I love Silver. 

"But why? Why does he have your love? Why do you wait for him? He leaves for an unforgivable amount of time and when he returns he barely acknowledges your existence. He's a self-righteous, smug, cocky, insolent rogue who has no job, money, or aspirations."

"Just because he didn't join the navy like you did doesn't mean he's worthless. He does have aspirations. He's an explorer and he's seeking his fortune. He's found work and does good deeds in various lands and the people of those lands have rewarded him handsomely."

"You always did enjoy those stories of his."

"How could I not? When he tells them I feel as though I'm watching them happen right in front of me. His adventures are just remarkable. He's courageous, honorable, kind, and charming."

"Charming?"

"It's a different kind of charm. One rugged and rebellious yet at the same time courteous and gentleman-like."

"He'll never commit to you. You know that don't you? He loves his adventures and travels too much to settle down and start a family."

"Maybe so but I still love him. Always have, always will."

She glanced over at the sea and saw a familiar ship draw near. She smiled upon recognizing it and hurried to meet it at the docks. Stepping off the ship and rushing to embrace Mika was rugged and handsome man who bore a striking resemblance to Gray, he even had the same smile as him. 

"I have missed you so much Mika." He said.

"Have you really?" She asked in a teasing manner. "Because I'm certain that if you did you would not have left me for so long." 

"I know and I meant to return two weeks earlier as promised but there was a storm, our course was turned around, and the next thing I know I'm in another place entirely."

"A new adventure to a new land?"

"Yes."

"You will tell me about it won't you?"

"Of course. I'll tell you tonight after dinner with your father and his co workers."

"You remembered. How unexpected, normally you're quite forgetful."

"Yes and I told you I'd work on that."

"You should also work on your timing while you're at it."

"I'll try but if I can't does that mean you'll stop waiting for me."

"No. I just want to be sure that you'll come back to me."

"I'll always come back to you."

"I'll always wait for you."

The two smiled at each other and leaned to do an action Gray did not understand but they were interrupted by Precht. 

"We are all grateful for your safe return Mr. Fullbuster." He said with false yet very convincing affability. 

"Thank you Lieutenant Gaeblog." Silver said graciously. "For not only being here to welcome me home but for taking care of my girl while I'm gone."

"Of course, I would never let any harm or distress befall Mika."

"Does that mean you'll be at the dinner tonight?"

"I wouldn't miss it for anything."

The memory changed to another one. One where Precht, Silver, and Mika were now attending a gathering of ladies and gentlemen wearing evening gowns and suits. Music played and couples were waltzing. Silver and Mika were among them and they were dancing in a way that reminded Gray how he danced with Juvia the other night. Precht glared at the two of them in extreme jealousy but a little afterward his envy eased upon hearing the chattering of some of the other guests.

"Did you hear that Mr. Fullbuster is going away again at the end of the week?" He heard one woman say.

"Really? But he jest returned?" He heard another woman say. "Oh how could he do this Mika?"

"If you ask me she's only torturing herself by loving that man. Everyone knows explorers never settle."

"Perhaps when she finds out he's leaving again she'll finally come to her senses and find a suitor more responsible and devoted."

Precht smiled to himself at these news, believing that he had finally earned his chance to win the woman he desired. The memory changed again. This one showed Mika waving goodbye to a ship that sailed away carrying Silver aboard. But for some reason she did not look as upset or agitated by his departure as those women said she would. In fact she looked very happy.

"You seem unusually happy that you're beloved has abandoned you again." Precht told her. 

"He has not abandoned me Precht and I have much good reason to be happy." She said. "This voyage is to be his last and what he is seeking on it is a rare diamond."

"Why a diamond?"

"To use for a ring to give me."

Precht looked at the elated woman in fear, fear for what she was implying. Her joy then turned to sympathy when she realized how much her next words would hurt her friend. 

"Silver has asked me to marry him and I have accepted." 

He looked away from her.

"Precht I never wanted to hurt you but you've always known how much I loved him."

"I know but I never thought he'd actually propose."

"No one did, even I was surprised but he told me that as much as he loves adventure he can live a life without it. But he can't live a life without me."

"I see and what does your father think of you marrying a man of little standing and no fortune."

"Silver was never Father's ideal husband for me but he knows that he's a good man, one with enough money to keep me and a heart that will love me above all others in this world."

"So he gave you his blessing did he?"

"Yes."

"How unfortunate."

He walked away from her. She reached out to possibly stop him but then decided that maybe it was for the best. 

Gray took his hand off the tree and his vision returned to seeing Meredy.

"So let me get this straight." He said to her. "Hades's real name is Precht and he was interested in a woman but she wanted another guy?"

"Yes."

"The other guy, his last name is Fullbuster. Same as mine, does that mean he's my father?"

"Yes he is."

"So if he's my father then that would mean the woman he and Hades both wanted is..."

"Your mother." She finished. 

"But none of this explains why I was abandoned."

"Put your hand back on the tree. It has more to show you."

Once again he did as she requested.


	27. Chapter 26

He saw a new memory, one of a baby laying in a cradle with Silver standing over it with a proud smile on his face.

"I was completely surrounded by bandits." He narrated to the infant. "No allies to be seen and they all had their guns aimed at me ready to fire but I was not afraid and I was much too clever to be defeated that easily. When they open fired, I jumped in such a quick and agile manner that each bullet missed me, took them all out with just one blow of my sword, and as I glared up their leader I said..."

But he trailed off when he saw that Mika now his wife had entered the room.

"Something very forgettable, unimportant, and not meant to be heard by the ears of children." Silver chuckled.

Mika giggled.

"And what did you do then?" She asked.

"I took back the diamond they stole from me, returned home to Magnolia where I made it into a ring and married you the most beautiful woman who ever lived and a year later you gave me my greatest treasure of all. Our son Gray."

"He loves to hear your stories." 

"It's only the sound of my voice. He'll soon tire of them when he gets older."

"I never tire of them. Why should he?"

She walked over to the cradle and took the baby into her arms, looking down at him with pure love and adoration. 

"He's growing so fast." She remarked. "Soon he'll be off to school, then a job, and eventually married and giving us grandchildren."

"Well let's not think to far ahead. He was born only three months ago."

"Yes but childhood is so unfairly short."

"All to true my dear. I only hope that he'll be able to enjoy it while he can."

Silver rubbed his son's head affectionately and then embraced his wife. The family looked so very happy. But their happiness was not meant to last for at that moment there was a knock at the door. Silver went to answer it and on the other side was Precht but he was not as he was the last time Mika spoke with him. He had changed. Changed in a man that was still refined but not at all bound by law or honor.

"Lieutenant Gaeblog?" Silver said. "Is that you?"

"It's captain now and I am here to see Mika."

He entered the house without being invited and spotted Mika at the stairway. At first he was happy to see her but then his eyes fell upon the baby boy she held in her arms. His demeanor changed drastically and it was like something went off inside of him. 

"What is that?" He asked looking at the infant with contempt.

"He is my son. Gray." Mika answer.

"Son? Son with him?" He asked turning to Silver.

"Yes." Her husband answered.

He looked back at Mika as if she had betrayed him somehow.

"Precht what is wrong?" She said with concern.

"How could you do this to me?"

"Do what?"

"After all I've done for you. I've given you my all and it hurt me enough that you married that lowlife but the fact that you allowed yourself to create a life with him. I should've known you were no real lady, just a tramp who takes advantage of a man's feelings."

"Precht I forbid you to speak to my wife that way!" Silver said moving to her defense. 

"Your wife!" Prect said with disgust. "She would've been mine had you not stolen her from me."

"She was never yours to begin with."

"I will not stand for this." He drew his sword. "I demand retribution."

"Mika." Silver said calmly. "Take Gray and go."

"No. Silver, Precht, please don't do this." Mika pleaded. "Please."

"Beg all you want! Nothing will stop me from carving this man up like goose!" Precht said with a venom and insanity. "And when I am done with him and I shall take my long awaited prize."

Mika stepped back in fear and disgust. This man who stood before her was not her dear friend. Not anymore. He was something quite horrid and awful.

"My beauty I will not harm you." He assured her. "I am no longer bound by the navy. I have broken free of law and created my own way of living. If you were to have a life with me you would have all the adventures and traveling you had heard in stories. You would be able to do as you wished and never abide by anyone's values. You would be far happier with me than you are with him. Will you accept my offer this time?"

"I'd rather die." She said scronfully.

The madness in his eyes grew.

"What a shame."

"Mika there's no reasoning with him now. I can see it in his eyes." Silver said. "Take Gray and go."

She sighed upon realizing there was no stopping this duel. Silver drew out his own sword and gripped the handle tightly. 

"Arrogant and undeserving thief." Precht said. "Prepare to meet thy doom." 

"Dark and sinister man." Silver replied. "Have at thee!"

Mika turned to leave, Precht lunged for Silver with his sword, Silver quickly drew out his own and the two were in a sword fight. During the duel, Precht attempted to grab Mika but Silver knocked him back and she ran from the house.

"Go on run!" Precht called after her in mad glee. "Run all you want Mika! It won't change anything! It doesn't matter where you go! Or what you do! I'll find you! I'll find you and your brat! Neither one of you will ever escape me!"

Mika ran and ran through the streets of Magnolia that night, unseen by anyone. After awhile she stopped running and looked completely lost. But not lost in direction though, lost in what to do. She looked down at her baby son as tears began to stream down her face.

"I can't keep you." She wept while holding him close. "As long as I live or as long as he lives he'll never stop coming after me which means you won't be safe if you're with me. Oh Gray I love you so much and it breaks my heart to do this, if your father is victorious in this duel and Precht can be defeated or reasoned with then we'll come back for you. But if not then..."

She choked on her words, unable to finish them. So instead she hurried into the nearest shop and with what little money she had, she purchased a basket, a slip of paper, and a pen. Upon leaving the shop she wrote something on the slip of paper then placed it and her child in the basket. She held the basket with care and walked toward the nearest orphanage. This was the memory Meredy had showed him that first time but it had been foggy then because her power of memory wasn't as strong as the tree's. When he saw it the first time around he couldn't even make out his mother's face, all he could see was a woman leave a basket with a baby inside on a door step but now things were more clear.

When she arrived at the front of the doorstep she took a moment to lift her child from the basket and hold him for as long as fate would allow her to do so. She pressed her lips to the baby's forehead and with great pain she laid him back in the basket, knocked on the front door, and ran away. 

After that scene, it changed to the final memory. It was back at the house where Precht and Silver were sword fighting. The two of them equally matched in skill, their duel seemingly endless.

"Stop this Precht!" Silver said. "Even if you do kill me, Mika will never love you! This will accomplish nothing for you!"

"We'll see if that's the case when you're dead."

The fighting went on and on. Eventually Mika returned to the house and when she did she saw Precht trip up Silver and raised his sword to make a move that would surely end the man's life. In a moment of desperation to save her love, Mika threw herself in front of Silver just as the blade came down and it struck her right in the heart. Horror filled the faces of both rivals as her body dropped to the floor. 

Silver moved to take her body into his arms, she weakly moved her hand to his cheek and raised her head upon to place something on his mouth. With a whisper so soft yet frail she said her final words:

"I love you."

Her eyes closed, her hand fell, and in that very moment she died. The light suddenly went out in the eyes of the man holding her and it looked as if he himself had just died along with her. His rival just stood there seething with more rage than ever before.

"What have I done?" He said. "What have...What have you done?! She is dead! She is dead because of you!"

He grabbed Silver by his throat and mercilessly threw him to the wall. Followed by a painful and inhuman beating. But then Precht allowed Silver a chance to defend himself, the poor man was utterly broken and trembled as he stood up. He made an attempt raise his sword but was met by Precht fatally stabbing him with his own. Silver collapsed, now dying ever so slowly.

"It is all your fault." Precht said. "You took her from me so I shall drag you into death. I am no longer Precht Gaeblog. I'll share the name the mythical God of death himself. Hades and like Hades I shall drag all who challenge me to death. Starting with your son."

He turned to go but then something caught him by the end of his coat. It was Silver, struggling to stay alive long enough to do something. He forced himself to stand, hold the evil man in his place with one hand while using his other to draw symbol on the floor with his spilled blood as ink and his finger as the pen.

"What are you doing?!" Precht now called Hades said as he tried to break Silver's grip. Surprised that a dying man still had such strength. 

"I..." He coughed. "I...I couldn't...Protect my wife....From you...But by God...I will protect my son...You will never...Touch him...I'll...I'll send you...Some place...Far away...A place where you'll never find him and...Where...You'll...Die old and alone..."

A portal opened in the floor and with whatever strength he had left, Silver pushed Hades hard and it sent him falling right into the portal which then closed. After that Silver fell for the last time, landing right next to his dead wife and taking his last breath. Everything went dark after that and Gray was staring at Meredy again. Stunned and seemingly unable to process what happened.

"My parents...My parents wanted me?" He spoke as if he wasn't entirely sure if everything he saw was true.

"Yes they did." Meredy said. "But your mother correctly deduced that you'd never be safe from Hades as long as you stayed with her. So she left you there to keep you hidden from him and your father with his last breath, ensured that Hades wouldn't be able to ever find you. At least not while you lived in Magnolia."

"Hades killed them. He's the whole reason I'm an orphan to begin with."

"He wants you dead because in his eyes you'll always be a reminder that your mother chose your father over him."

Gray clutched his fists together tightly, shaking with anger and determination. 

"I guess this it." Gray said.

"What?" Meredy asked.

"Our last battle. Ever." He said. "And I have to be ready."

He flew back to his hideout and rose up from his tree with weapons to set out upon his perilous quest. First he stopped by the Celestial Tribe and explained to them what happened, asking for their help. Lucy insisted that the Indians assist and let her accompany them. They happily agreed to the first term but were reluctant to agree to the second term. Together they quietly and with great stealth made their way toward the pirate ship but chose to wait for just the right moment to attack.

As they kept themselves hidden and waiting, Gray swore this terrible oath:

"It's Hades or me."


	28. Chapter 27

The pirates were excited to finally be leaving Tendrou Island. Enough of constantly chasing children and rotting away on this ship instead of doing more important things like hunting treasure and ransacking towns. They didn't know how they were going to leave this island but they didn't care. They were just glad to be going. However their excitement would soon be lost when they noticed the clouds clearing away, the sun coming back out, the winter climate was changing to a warmer one which could only mean one thing.

"On no." Mr. Capricorn said when he realized where this was going. He raised up three fingers and counted them off. "Three...Two...One."

"He's alive!" Captain Hades shouted in a voice of rage that terrified almost everyone on that ship. "How?! How could he still live?! He is just a human boy! It makes no sense!"

It drove him mad to no end. It was like no matter what he did it would change nothing. Everything he tried, every plot, every intrigue, all complete failures. It was as if nothing could kill that boy or at least cripple him. But no, no he had to have some kind of weakness. Any kind. Even if it's just one, he just had to have something that could break his spirit and bring him to his knees. But what? What was it? How could he discover it?

The gaze of his eyes then fell upon Juvia still tied to the mast and looking so frightened. He put it together in his mind that maybe she knew something. He stormed toward her, she desperately wanted to get as far away from him as possible but the ropes kept her bound in her place.

"I'll have a story before you die." He told her. "The story of Gray Fullbuster. You know how it starts right? Once upon a time..."

"Once upon a time." She started while trembling with fear. "There was a boy named Gray Fullbuster who decided not to grow up."

"Skip the prologue!" He demanded impatiently.

"So he flew away to Tendrou Island where the pirates are."

"Was one of them called Kawazu?" One of the pirates asked.

"Yes." She answered.

"Captain did you hear? I am in a story."

But Hades just shot him dead with his pistol. Natsu, Romeo, and the lost boys screamed and shouted in terror as his dead body dropped to the floor.

"What fun he must have had." Hades said turning his attention back to Juvia.

"Yes." She confirmed. "Lots of fun. Everyday was an adventure for him. But he was rather lonely." 

"Lonely?" Hades inquired as the very idea of the boy feeling that way had never crossed his mind. 

"Yes. What good is all the fun in the world if you're all alone? So he brought other children here. Like the lost boys."

"But he needed someone to help him to look after them didn't he? He needed a lady." 

"I need a lady." Kain said but that was a mistake on his part because he too was shot dead by the captain for that remark, much to the horror of the children.

"Two dead already." Capricorn observed. "A new record."

"Why did he want you?" Hades asked Juvia. "What is about you that gave him the desire to bring you here?"

"He liked my stories." 

"What stories?"

"Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty."

"Love stories?"

"Adventures in which good triumphs over evil." 

The boys all cheered in the belief that the notion of good conquering evil was true only to quickly be silenced by the death glares of the pirates.

"They all end in a kiss." Hades said in annoyed disgust but with that statement it at long last dawned on him. "A kiss."

It was so obvious, right from the start. He should have figured it out the very moment he saw the two them dancing together the other night. The way the boy looked at the girl as if she was the loveliest creature on earth. It was exactly how the boy's father and he himself used to look at the boy's mother. Gray had a weakness. It had been so simple all along yet he had been blind to it until now.

"So you have your answer." Juvia said. "You can't kill Gray because he's good and you're evil. He has no weaknesses."

He only smirked at her sinisterly.

"I think he has one my beauty." He said grabbing hold of her face. "I truly think he does."

She looked at him utterly confused, his smirk only grew wider.

"He does feel." He deduced twisted glee. "He feels about you."

"Don't you touch my sister you disgusting creep!" Natsu shouted angrily. 

"Stop! You're hurting her!" Romeo pleaded.

"You doesn't know anything!" Elfman said. "She doesn't know any information useful to you!"

"Oh but I think she does." Hades pulled Juvia from the mast, held her roughly by her hair, and pressed his dagger to her neck. "She told him stories! He taught her how to fly! How?"

"You just think happy thoughts." She said with heart pounding in fear. "And they lift you into the air."

"Alas I have no happy thoughts." He hissed in her ear.

"That brings you down." She said defiantly. 

He gripped his hold on her hair and turned to look at the boys.

"How else?" He asked them. 

"That's the only way." Gajeel said. 

"Are you all entirely certain of that?" He said threatening to slit Juvia's throat if he didn't get the answers he wanted. "No other way?"

"No." All the boys said.

"Leave her alone!" Gajeel demanded. 

"Stop it!" Sting shouted.

"She never did anything to you!" Rogue argued.

"If you don't get your hands off my sister right now I'll take out your other eye myself!" Natsu threatened. 

The older boys wouldn't tell him anything. Not even if Hades did threaten Juvia's life. It wasn't that they didn't care about her or love her but they knew that giving him what he wanted wouldn't change anything. He'd still kill her. Maybe not by slitting her throat like how he was threatening to do now but through some other way because they knew that a man like Captain Hades wouldn't spare her even if they complied. But Romeo being much more young, easily afraid, and more naive bought into his threat.

"It's fairy dust!" He cried hoping his confession would save his sister's life. "You need fairy dust!"

"Romeo!" The boys all scolded.

"So that's why he keeps that irritating little fairy with him." Hades said and looking back at Juvia he asked. "What of Gray? Will unhappy thoughts bring him down?"

"He has no unhappy thoughts." Juvia answered so sure that was the case.

"Why don't we test the theory then? You say he has no unhappy thoughts? How if his lady walks the plank?"

The pirates save for Capricorn cheered in agreement while the children desperately protested against the notion. But their cries for her to be spared were to be ignored. Juvia's hands were tied behind her back and she was shoved on to the plank which had one end secured to the edge of the ship and the other end sticking out over the water. With swords and pistols aimed at her backside, she had no choice but to walk on the wooden plank.

The eyes of all were on her as took that last little walk. The pirates watching her with sick enthusiasm and the children watching her with fear. When she reached the end of the plank she turned around to take one final look at her younger brothers, quietly urging them to have courage. A tear trickled down her cheek as she once again thought of how devastating it would be that her mother and father would spend the rest of their lives never knowing what became of their children. Never knowing they had all drowned in another place. She couldn't forgive how selfish she had been. Running away from her loving parents, breaking their hearts, and putting her brothers in danger like this. She felt that she deserved to die for her supposed cruelty and carelessness yet at the same time she was still afraid to do so.

"You know I really am terribly sorry about this." Captain Hades told her. "It pains me to have to watch a lady die. You should have just accepted my offer."

She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of a response and just when she thought that this couldn't get anymore terrible they all heard a noise. 

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock.

It sounded exactly like the terrible tick-tock of the dragon. Which led everyone to believe that the hungry reptile was slithering around in the water, waiting eagerly for it's next meal which would be Juvia. At least that's what Hades decided in that moment and he stomped his foot on the first end of the plank causing it to vibrate rapidly. Juvia tried to stay standing for as long as she could but after a few more stomps from the evil pirate's boot, she lost her balance and fell right off the plank.

"No!" Natsu and Romeo cried in horror as they watched their sister disappear over the edge. 

Hades laughed with insane satisfaction but his laughter died down along with the crew's cheering when they realized there was no splash. No sound of a body smacking the water's surface and no sign of a little water rising up from the impact.

"Did you hear her hit the water?" Mr. Capricorn asked the captain. "Because I didn't."

The entire pirate crew of Grimoire Heart looked over the plank and scanned the water for any trace of the girl or the dragon but there was none to be seen and the water was perfectly calm.

"Captain no splash." Capricorn said in confusion.

"Not a sound." Hades said just as confused as his first mate and other crew members.

"Not even a bloomin ripple." A pirate called Bluenote Stinger said pointed out.

"And no sign of the wench." Zancrow added. 

"Or the monster." A pirate called Zoldeo. 

"It's a jinx." Capricorn said. "That's what it is. I'm telling ya mates, it's a black day. Mark me words we'll all pay for this."

"The ship's bewitched." Zoldeo said starting to panic.

"What do we do?" Bluenote Stinger said.

"Enough you superstitious fools!" Hades snapped. "The beast merely swallowed her whole."

The crew started to become calm after that but then they heard that noise again.

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock. 

"It looks for more Captain." Bluenote Stinger said.

"Then let's give it more!" The captain said turning to face the boys. 

They all screamed and cried, overcome with terror as the one eyed mad man seized one of them who were trying in vain to escape. He had chosen poor Romeo. The little boy whimpered and wailed and shivered, not at all ready to be fed to a dragon.

"Silence, puling spawn!" Hades snarled at him. "It's time that I deliver you to the underworld!"

He jerked Romeo up and prepared to throw him overboard when the direction of the tick-tock suddenly changed. Immediately every head was blown in the other direction which was not to the water whence the sound proceeded this time, but up above their heads. All knew that what was about to happen.

Very frightful was it to see the change that came over Captain Hades. His entire skin became the color of paper, his body shook like a leaf, and he dropped Romeo in an instant. 

"Into the rigging with you!" He ordered the crew. "Hunt it down! Move you scabs!"

Every pirate on that ship moved in a frenzy below, high above, or to the side of the ship. Making sure that they had every weapon they could carry and were at a position where they were safe from the dragon. Of course out of them all, it was Hades who was the most terrified. 

The children seemed to have become completely forgotten at the moment due Grimoire Heart's frenzy. It was also because of that same frenzy that they, unlike the children did not notice something come out from hiding behind the sails and land right in front of them. 

It was Gray and in his arms he was holding Juvia as if she were his bride, both of them smiling ear to ear. At dawn the boy had successfully sneaked Lucy into the lower level of the ship and told the Indians to surround the ship at all angles with their arrows ready. Then climbed up around the outside just when Hades had decided to make Juvia walk the plank. He cleverly kept himself out of sight and caught the falling girl just before she could hit the water below. 

The boys could hardly contain their joy and relief at seeing the two of them alive and well but not one of them dare make a sound. They wouldn't risk exposing them to the pirates. Not yet anyway. 

With a wink to assure them that he had a plan, Gray once again flew to where he couldn't be seen and carried Juvia there with him. They went to where Lucy was hiding and Gray instructed the girls to gather up as many weapons they could find. The rest would be left to him.


	29. Chapter 28

Fear truly was one of the greatest distractions to use on one's enemy. Because when someone is truly overcome with fear, typically all they can think about is how they can escape or avoid what it is that frightens them and that's exactly what Hades and his crew were doing. All they cared about at the moment was their own survival and escape of what they believed to be a dragon that had somehow come aboard. Not once did they notice Gray slipping quietly and discreetly toward the middle of the ship where the boys were huddled together and cut their bonds, whispering to them not to attack just yet. Nor did any of the pirates notice Gray passing weapons to them which Juvia and Lucy had swiped from the lower cabin. It was almost too easy for him to get everything set up.

"Captain!" Zoldeo called from his perch on the rope ladder and pointing to the shadow cast on the sails, which was giving off that terrible tick-tock noise. Hades immediately aimed his pistol at the sail. 

"Devil! Demon! Accursed beast! You're time is up!" Zoldeo pulled back the sail and Hades fired a shot but the what was behind the sail was not a dragon but actually Meredy holding up a clock. 

Zoldeo fell from the shot, the single eye of Hades looked to where the member of his crew had fallen, but instead he found Gray standing across from him looking as smug as usual. Captain Hades's fear was forgotten and replaced by a great rage.

"So, Gray Fullbuster." He said slowly approaching him. "This is all you're doing."

"Aye Precht Gaeblog." Gray answered both sternly and mischievous. "It's all my doing."

For a moment the dreaded man was taken aback in shock at being referred to by his former name. Surprised that Gray even knew it. But one glance at Meredy made it all clear to him.

"I see your little fairy has reveled to you my true name. What other secrets of mine did she disclose to you?"

"Only the real reason why you hate me to such a degree that you want my blood strown across this entire deck." 

"In that case you must know how this will end boy." He said reaching for the sword on his belt but not yet bring it forward. "With you dead and beaten much like my first rival."

"On the contrary Captain." Gray replied with a smirk. "You may have killed the rival you had before me but in the end he was the one who beat you. He trapped you here forever and despite his death, nothing will ever change the fact that he will always have what you wanted most."

A hatred unlike any that ever been felt before flared up inside the pirate as he was once again reminded of his previous failure and humiliation. He had always been reminded of it whenever he saw Gray but the reason why this time he had reached his breaking point was because the boy had out right directly reminded him of it.

"Proud and insolent youth!" He spat and then finally drew his sword. "Prepare to meet thy doom."

"Dark and sinister man." Gray answered with the very same words his father had used before he dueled with his rival. "Have at thee."

Upon drawing his own sword, they advanced toward each other. The other pirates quickly moved to join in on the attack.

"Leave him!" Hades commanded them with insane yet possessive anger. "He's mine."

"Now!" Gray signaled.

Instantly the boys got up from their huddle and the girls came out from the cabin, all of them wielding swords and tomahawks, proceeding to battle the crew members of Grimoire Heart. The Indians who surrounded the outside of the ship began shooting off their arrows as swiftly as the wind, very few of them missing their targets. Unfortunately the pirates retaliated by shooting back at the Indians with their pistols and cannons which were far more advanced and the lot of them ended being greatly injured, much to Lucy's horror. With the Indians out of the way the pirates were certain they would be victorious but they underestimated the strength and diligence of Gray's friends.

"Down you blaggard!" Natsu said as he battle with the pirate Zancrow. 

"Villain! Ne'er-do-well! Libertine!" Gajeel insulted to Yomazu. 

"This is for what you savages did to my people!" Lucy cried hitting Azuma with her tomahawk.

"Persistent little brats aren't they?" Azuma said getting annoyed by how long the children were able to keep on fighting. 

"A little help here Zoldeo?!" Zancrow called with the same level of annoyance as Azuma.

"I've got my own set of problems right now!" Zoldeo answered as he struggled to remove the two things stuck to his body at the moment. Rogue who was on top of his head, pulling both his hair and ears as tight as he could, and Sting who was clinging to his legs and biting into the skin of them as hard as he could. "Ow! Get off me you imps from hell!"

"Hey Sting I just pulled off a chunk of his hair!" Rogue said.

"Cool! I think I broke some of his skin!" Sting said.

"Make it stop!" Zoldeo shouted in agony. 

"You pirates aren't real men!" Elfman declared during his fight with Bluenote Stinger. "Real men wouldn't prey on children who are smaller and weaker than they are!"

"Smaller maybe but weaker?!" Bluenote scoffed because of Elfman's impressive strength. "Where is Mr. Capricorn?! He should be bringing us more weapons so we can defend ourselves better?! Somebody get him!"

At the mention of his name, Mr. Capricorn went below deck but it wasn't to bring his crew mates more weapons. It was to gather up as much of Captain Hades's treasure as he could carry.

"A battle with Gray, his allies, and the Indians? They don't pay me enough for this." He told himself. "I've had enough of this madness! I'm getting off this ship!"

Once he had a very good amount of gold and jewels in bags and his pockets, he quickly came back up aboard and moved to one of the lifeboats. Luckily almost everyone was too distracted with the battle to notice his secret theft and resignation. Almost. Just as he prepared to climb inside the lifeboat he felt a sword pressed to his side. He turned to see that the sword belonged to Romeo.

"Ah-ah." He said with disapproval. "I don't think someone who made my big sister walk the plank should have nice things. In fact I think it would be more fitting if I made that someone do what he did to her. Sounds fair don't you think?"

Capricorn would have protested but in his haste to escape with treasure he had forgotten to bring a sword or pistol so he was at the mercy of the eight year old boy, seeking retribution for his sister. With sword in hand, Romeo made Capricorn give up all the treasure he tried to steal and then forced him to walk the plank although he didn't tie his hands together.

"Here you are. There." Capricorn said giving the last of the treasure to Romeo as he stood at the edge of the plank. "I never wanted to be a pirate anyway. I'm going to spend the rest of my life doing good work."

His last words before jumping off the plank and swimming away to start a new life. Romeo smiled, feeling very brave and less meek at the moment. He then ran over to aid his brother who appeared to be working on something. He was pulling back the rope to one end of a beam that was used to hold up one of the ship's sails. 

"What are you doing Natsu?" Romeo asked.

"Remember those catapults you would see in those medieval picture books Father gave you?" He answered.

"Yes?"

"Well I'm making something similar to a catapult with this. You'll see how it works once Juvia gives the word."

Juvia was fencing against Rustyrose and unknown to him, leading her opponent in front of Bluenote and Yomazu. 

"How appalling that a young lady has chosen to be so violent." Rusrtyrose said to the girl.

"I peg your pardon?" Juvia said not once letting up on her sword. "I'm appalling? You're a grown man trying to kill this young lady. You sir are a hypocrite and a most vile one at that."

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." He taunted.

"What about a wooden beam?"

"What?"

"Now Natsu!"

Her brother released his hold on the rope and it sent the beam flying right into Rustyrose, Bluenote, and Yomazu, hitting them quite hard.

"Impressive." Lucy said to Natsu.

"It's all in knowing when just to let go."

Each fight and attack was most exciting but none of them were as suspenseful as the duel between Gray and Hades. The space between them had no advantage to either blade but they still managed to make it work anyway. Gray was a superb swordsman and parried with dazzling rapidity. Hades, scarcely his inferior in brilliancy, but not quite so nimble in wrist play, forced him back by the weight of his onset, hoping suddenly to end all with a thrust, but Gray kept getting the upper hand due to his abilities to fly. 

"Bad from Gray." Hades said each time the boy flew out of the way his enemy's blows.

"You would know, right?" Gray retorted.

"You wouldn't dare fight me man to man."

"Obviously, I can't fight you man to man because in case you haven't notice I'm not a man. I'm a boy, a youthful and very good looking boy. Contrast to you, an old and ugly man."

Hades's face went red with fury and frustration. He'd never be able to beat Gray while stuck on the ground and he had no intention of losing this fight. Not this one. Not after coming so far for so long. 

He glanced over and saw Meredy aiding one of the boys in a fight. In an instant he remembered when Romeo squealed about the magic of fairy dust and quickly got an idea on how he could shift the odds of this fight into his favor. 


	30. Chapter 29

Meredy didn't have time to react, once again Hades just snatched her up into his fist, held her over himself, and then shook her tiny body as if she were a common salt shaker. Her fairy dust fell on to him in mere seconds. Throwing her aside, he began to think of what made him happy which were nothing that the perfectly sane and moral man would find happy but that didn't matter in this case. He was lifted off the deck and into the air, taking Gray briefly by surprise.

"Looks like I have the high ground now boy." He said with great satisfaction. 

"We'll see about that." His young opponent said. "This won't change anything. Even if you can fly, I'll still beat you because I've had a lot more experience in this."

They flew around the ship, swords clashing as each rival fought to bring down the other and not stopping until their goals were met. 

"Not bad." Gray smirked as they fought in mid air. "For an old man!"

In that moment Hades might have exploded due to all the anger and frustration boiling up inside of him, going higher and with each insult Gray threw at his face. He would have killed to do something, anything to wipe that smug look off the boy's face and break his seemingly invulnerable spirit. Captain Hades had been so sure that if he could fly as well as Gray he would beat him no problem but a victory and defeat seemed impossible in this duel for despite their age differences, they were both equally matched in combat. Just like when he fought with Silver. 

However remembering that duel from years back allowed him to finally figure out how he could defeat his foe. Of course, what was he doing? He was using the wrong weapon. The weapon known as a sword wouldn't help him destroy Gray. A sword wouldn't cut his heart deep, deep enough to break him. But Hades now knew what weapon would and he knew just how to use it.

"You've gone quiet Captain." Gray said upon not hearing any curses or insults from him in the last three minutes. "Have you become afraid?"

"Of you? Never. But I know what scares you."

"Seeing you in a dress?"

"Mock me all you wish! Your words will no longer have any effect on me. For I now pity you."

"You pity me?" Gray laughed as if it were a joke. "

"I know what you are. You're a tragedy."

"Me? Tragic? I barely know the meaning of the word."

Gray raised his sword while looking very triumphant and proud but just before he could swing another attack, Hades said one sentence that would change his demeanor entirely.

"She was leaving you, Gray."

Instantly his smile fell and for a moment he became confused by what the pirate meant by those words, but he very quickly figured out the meaning when Hades pointed toward Juvia fighting off the other pirates and looking very happy for she felt assured that the battle would be won in the favor of her allies. Gray's eyes were completely glued to her pretty face and he found himself reminded that before all this occurred the girl had every intention of going home.

"Your Juvia was leaving you." Hades said with a malicious grin. "Why should she stay? What have you to offer? You are incomplete."

Gray was taken off guard and barely had time to defend himself when Hades lunged for another attack. 

"She'd rather grow up than stay with you." 

With those horrid words spoken, Hades punched Gray right up his chin and knocked him into a post. Gray tried to regain his confident composure but Hades was just getting warmed up. 

"Let us now take a peep into the future." He said with evil and insane excitement. "What's this I see? Tis the fair Juvia, she's in her nursery but the window's shut."

"I'll open it!" Gray answered trying and failing to ignore the fears suddenly filling his head. Because of this, he missed when he swung his sword and found himself face to face with his arch foe who was gaining the upper hand.

"I'm afraid the window's barred." Hades said with fake pity.

"I'll call out her name!" Gray cried desperately.

"She can't hear you." Hades taunted. 

"No!" 

"You can't see you."

"Juvia!" He gave a cry of pain.

"She's forgotten all about you."

"Stop!" He pleaded. "Please stop it!"

But his pleas were met with a kick that sent him flying into another post. He landed on his knees, his body trembling, and his eyes threatening to let tears fall. He couldn't take much more.

"And what is this I see?" Hades added to the nail in the coffin. "There is another in your place. He is called husband. He is a man she will belong to forever and will remove all trace of you from her heart and her thoughts. To her it will be as if you never even existed."

The tears stung his eyes as he pictured the nightmarish scene that was being described to him. He saw her in the nursery with a faceless man, looking overjoyed and smiling but none of that joy nor was that smile directed at him but another. While he himself was on the other side of a closed and locked window, desperately trying to get her attention only for her to not acknowledge him at all. Leaving him alone and abandoned. Always alone and abandoned. That's how it always been and that's how it would always be.

The sky darkened again but this time it was more dark than it had ever been before. So overwhelmed Gray was with those fears that it became easy for Hades to strike him with a blow the sent him falling to the deck. The battle that went on below completely ceased and silence over took them as they witnessed something they thought they would never see. Gray had fallen. Hades became still for a moment and allowed his foe one last chance to defend himself.

Gray found it very difficult to stand back up but he managed to do it. Nevertheless his body still trembled as if every bone in it had been broken, the blow and the fall had left an awful cut on his head which was bleeding, and he was crying. The lost boys were stunned for in all the years they had known their leader, they had never once seen him cry. And these were not false crocodile tears or melodramatic ones of frustration but genuine, heart breaking, and hurting tears. It was no use. He couldn't fight anymore, He just couldn't. Because he had been broken.

Captain Hades gave him one last kick, one more harsh and painful than any he had ever given before and this time when he was knocked back he wasn't given a chance to recover. Hades grabbed him by his throat. The children and Meredy tried to help him but they found themselves over powered by the crew, restricted by strong grips, and unable to aid anyone.

"You're more like your father than I realized." Hades snarled in Gray's ear has he clutched his throat. "So self-righteous and smug but the very moment the lady your heart pines for is gone, you break and lose all will. Your father fell by my hand that day because he lost your mother and you shall fall by my hand today because you know that you will inevitably lose Juvia."

He forced the boy's face to look at the girl being gripped by Rustyrose.

"Your story is a tragic one because despite your youth and adventure, in the end you'll die alone and unloved." Hades taunted again to Gray.

"Unloved." Rustyrose hissed in Juvia's ear before holding her face to look at Gray, in a cruel attempt to make sure she would watch him die.

"Alone and unloved." Hades repeated. "Just like me."

He threw Gray on to the deck with all the hate he felt for him. The boys, Lucy, and Meredy shouted in protest, trying to urge him to get up but he just lied there. No resistance, no spirit, no desire to fight, no will to live. What reason did he have to live for anyway? He now realized that his life was doomed to be one of loneliness where no one would ever stay with him or remember him. His eyes lost all light and became empty. Playfulness and mischief gone as was the lot of his strength. Even so he still had enough to gaze up Juvia's fair face. 

Unlike his other friends she was silent and could not speak for she too was crying. Her tears were much more soft and delicate than his, slowly dripping like drizzling rain. She cried just like her mother did that time he spied on her from the window. He thought how lovely both Juvia and her mother had looked even with tears running down their cheeks. He had chosen to welcome death and he decided that Juvia's face would be the last thing he saw before he died.

With all his hate and fury combined, Hades raised his sword to stab the broken Gray thus killing him once and for all. But he didn't count on Juvia's determination to not see the boy she cared for die in that moment. Summoning all the strength she had she headed butted Rustyrose's jaw, broke away from him, and grabbed Hades's arm to stop his blade. He threw her down to Gray's side and when the children squealed for her he shouted.

"Silence all! For Juvia's farewell."

Weakly, she turned to him and could tell just by his numb and emotionless expression what it was that had reduced him to this.

"Gray." She said softly. "I am sorry. I must grow up."

"Grow up." He said in a voice with no life or feeling. "Grow up. Forget. Grow up. Forget."

She needed to reach him somehow. Assure him that though she had to grow up, she would never forget him. Words would not convince him of that but she thought of something that might. 

"I wish..." She started. "I wish with all my heart that I could stay with you always. I can't, I must return home...But...This is yours."

Her left hand had closed into a fist as if she was holding something and when she raised her arm, Hades hoisted her up in suspicion.

"Tis just a thimble." She told him. 

"How like a girl." Hades chuckled wickedly and the crew burst into equally wicked laughter. "By all means my beauty. Give Gray your precious thimble."

He released her arm and she turned her gaze back to Gray. It was more of a gamble really, she wasn't entirely sure if this would help but even if they were to die in the end she had to at least give this to him before it was too late. For she knew that he was the one she was supposed to give it to. She hovered over him as he had done to her that night she first saw him and slowly leaned down to gently whisper something in his ear.

"This belongs to you and always will."

She opened her fist but there was nothing in her palm which she then placed to his cheek. Her actions caused his empty look to briefly change into one of confusion, he would have questioned her about what she was doing but did not get the chance to. For in that very moment Juvia leaned down to him, closed her eyes, and pressed her lips to his. His eyes went wide for a moment but shortly after they closed, as the two of them shared a chaste and innocent kiss of pure first love. 

Natsu, Lucy, Romeo, Meredy, the lost boys, even Hades and the pirates could not help but stare in astonishment at what they were witnessing. Romeo and the lost boys were slack jawed, Natsu and Lucy blushed as they were reminded of their own kiss from much earlier, Meredy let out a few small oo's, and the pirates were completely numb. Vile men like them were not used to seeing any kind of affection and this display made them briefly lose comprehension.

Gray opened his eyes again when he felt Juvia's lips part from his own and he saw her looking him with all the love and adoration she had in her heart for him. She stroked his cheek then moved her finger to touch his mouth, showing him the spot where her love had left an unseen yet permanent mark. A mark to remind him that he would always be remembered by her and be so dear to her.

"That was no thimble." Natsu said.

"That was a hidden kiss." Romeo said. 

Hades finally broke out of his shock, pulled Juvia off of Gray, and prepared to finish his original action but his attempts would soon be proven futile. The sky changed again, it was still as dark as night but now aglow with twinkling stars. Light returned to his eyes as did wonder, his mouth made a smile but it was one that he had never made before, his skin began to change to a very interesting color.

"Brace yourselves lads." Gajeel said noticing the change in the atmosphere.

"Tis a powerful thing." Elfman added.

"Gray." Hades observed in confusion. "You're...Pink."

Indeed he was pink. Pink all over in the face. Pink and warm with a smile that just kept getting wider and wider. So distracted and confused the pirates were by this that the children were able to get free. Getting down on the deck and covering their heads for what they suspected to be something very big. Hades eventually saw what they were doing and realized much too late what was happening. 

"Split my infinitives."

Gray let loose a force of laughter and joy that was so powerful that it threw Hades up into his sails and his entire crew off the ship. Gray then flew up and up and up into the starry sky feeling sheer bliss. Even letting a sigh of it out as he felt it go through his body. It was unlike any happiness he had ever known in his entire life and it restored his spirit with a much greater strength. He recovered his sword from the deck and approached Hades for one last battle. 

"No!" Hades shouted unable to accept defeat. "I won!"

He fought now like a human flail and every sweep of that terrible sword would have severed any man or boy who obstructed it but Gray fluttered round him as if the very wind it made blew him out of the danger zone. And again and again he darted in and pricked. Hades moved for a fatal thrust but he found this thrust turned aside again and again. Then he sought to close and give the strike with his dagger but Gray doubled under it and lunging fiercely he caused the man to drop both his weapons into the water. Hades was now at Gray's mercy. 

"You killed my parents." Gray said with his sword at Hades's throat. "You tried to kill Meredy, you threatened my friends, you tried to take Juvia from me, you deserve to die."

"Strike me then." He spat.

"I should but I won't. You're already pitiful enough."

"Pitiful?! You dare find me pitiful?!"

"Yes. You are old."

"Old." Gajeel chimed.

"And alone." 

"Alone." Natsu chimed in as well.

"And now..."

"Done for." Juvia finished.

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock. Hades look down below at the water and there was the dragon. Rising up and out of the water snapping it's jaws at it's floating prey. Hades became fearful which expelled happy thoughts and started to bring him down. He tried to fight it of course but the hungry eyes of the beast gave him nothing to be happy about. Down and down he went, he took one last look at Gray and according to some he swore that he saw Silver and Mika's spirits standing behind their son chanting those three dreadful but true words that had been uttered by the children:

"Old! Alone! Done for!"

He had been bested. Bested by the very person he sought to destroy for so long. He had no other choice but to accept his fate with dignity. With no further resistance he fell into the jaws of the dragon who swallowed him whole. Old, alone, and done for indeed. 


	31. Chapter 31

Precht Gaeblog A.K.A Captain Hades was no more. The evil man who had let jealousy and hate consume him so much that he slaughtered those he blamed for his own terrible life choices had reached his final end. With him gone the pirates of Grimoire Heart or at least the ones who managed to get out of the water before being eaten by the dragon, disbanded and would never be heard from again. The Celestial Indians could finally live peacefully and never have to fear losing their land again. As for the ship, Gray decided to take it as his own. 

He was the captain, Natsu and Gajeel were his first and second mates, there were two ladies on board even though myths would say that any female on ship would bring bad luck, and the remaining group of boys scuttled about the deck to have everything ready. Gray had already lashed himself to the wheel and waited eagerly for the chance to use it to steer the vine vessel. The lady of the ship approached the new captain, looking at him with a teasing smile.

"What?" He asked.

She just giggled.

"Oh, the cleverness of you." 

That earned her a teasing smile from him as well.

"Yes I am very clever aren't I?"

They both shared a playful laugh with each other and shortly after a pink light flew up to them. It was Meredy who looked very ashamed and remorseful when she perched herself into the palm of Juvia's open hand. She said some words though to Juvia's ears it sounded like the twinkling of bells. 

"What did she say?" She asked Gray.

"She said that she was sorry for how awful she behaved toward you." Gray translated. "That she felt you would either hurt me or take me away from her. That fairies struggle to find a balance between emotion and reason. She also says that she doesn't expect you to forgive her and she'll try to keep her emotions under control from now on."

Juvia looked down at the fairy in her hand, touched by her words.

"I forgive you Meredy."

The pink haired fairy made a look of shock and relief. 

"Really? You do?" Gray asked. "Because you should know that no one here would blame you if you didn't forgive her. Ow!"

Meredy had pulled Gray's hair to prevent him from ruining the moment.

"I'm just kidding. Lighten up." He told her.

"Silly ass." She called him before flying away. 

"Fairies." Gray huffed in annoyance. "They can be loyal friends but also a real pain in the neck."

"I know." Juvia agreed. "But no matter how big of pain they may be I'll always believe in them."

"That reminds me. Thank you."

"For what?"

"You heard me didn't you? When I was reaching out for kids to believe in fairies. I didn't think I'd reach anyone but I reached you."

"I didn't hear your cry Gray but I felt it. I don't how I did but somehow I felt what it was you were begging for us all to do."

"So you declared your belief and you encouraged the boys to do the same, they reached out to all the other kids out there, and it brought Meredy back. You saved her life and I know that she'll never forget that."

"And I'll never forget her." She said. "Or you. I'll always remember you Gray Fullbuster. I promise."

"I know." He grinned bashfully as he raised his fingers to touch his mouth. "I know."

"Now I have something I would like to ask you."

"I am at your service Madame." He replied.

"What are you going to do now?"

"Now I'm going to get this ship up and running. Show everyone how to really sail."

"Could you tell me where we're sailing?"

"To Magnolia, England Madame." 

"Really?" She said looking surprised by what he was implying. "You mean it?"

"I guess you could say that I've changed my view point on some parents."

She smiled elatedly. 

"Tell the boys that they better have all their things ready because I'm not making any trips back to retrieve stuff that had been left behind." 

"Oh Gray." She hurried down to inform the others. "Romeo! Natsu! We're going home!"

The children cheered ecstatically at these news. All them rushing to prepare themselves and to make sure that they had everything they needed.

"So you'll be leaving now." Lucy said to Natsu upon finding him packing his things alone. 

"Yes I will. I miss my mother and my father."

"That's good that you're going back." She said trying to hide how sad she was feeling about his departure. "You still have a mother and father to go back to. Treasure them while you can because before you know it they'll be gone. Like mine."

"I...I...I'm going to miss you. You're pretty much the first girl I ever thought was interesting...And pretty."

"Am I really?" She said once again flashing him that coquettish smile. 

"Yeah." He said trying to stop his face from going pink again.

"I will miss you too. You're not the first boy I've ever found to be interesting but you are the first one to make me laugh. I don't think I'll ever know anyone more funny."

"Thanks. So what will happen to you?"

"I shall just continue to live here with my people."

"I think not Princess." Lucy and Natsu turned to see that all the Indians of the Celestial tribe had climbed on to the ship, now healed and recovered from their injuries. They spoke in a language that was foreign to Natsu but perfectly clear to Lucy.

"Oh thank goodness you all are alright." Lucy spoke to them in their native tongue. "I feared the worst."

"It takes a lot more than cannons and pistols to wipe out us." Said the Indian shaman known as Scorpio. "We are spirits created to protect this island and the fairies. Therefore we are bound here and must live on forever with no other purpose."

"But you are not a spirit." Said their leader Aquarius. "You were not born in this world, you do not have to serve one purpose, and your life is short. You do not belong here."

"What are you saying?" Lucy asked not understanding them.

"Lucy we love you dearly and we took care of you when you lost your first family but we knew that you could not stay here forever. We had every intention of returning you to the world of your birth when you were ready and now you are."

"No...No I'm not."

"Yes you are. You have been ready for a long time. When you first came to us you were traumatized, grief-stricken, and had no reason to leave this place. But now the trauma has gone, the grief has healed, and you have a reason to return."

"What do you mean? I have nothing back in that world. My parents are dead, I have no living family back there."

"But you have experienced first love which means someday you will desire to have a mate. But there is no hope of you finding a mate if you continue to stay here."

"I don't need a mate to be happy." She said now becoming tearful. 

"You say that now but you will change your mind." Aquarius moved her hands to hold the girl's face gently. "You will always be a member of our tribe but you do not belong to us. You do not belong here anymore. Deep down you must know that we are right and that it is for the best that you leave."

"But...But...I don't want to leave you all. I love you."

She embraced Aquarius, she embraced her back, and all the Indians embraced the young girl who they had looked after and cared for, for so many years. They knew from the moment they took her in that there would come a day when she would have to go. That is why they ensured that she never forget what happened before her arrival like the lost boys did. All too soon the embrace ended, Natsu watched as Aquarius said a few more words to Lucy before they all excluding the blonde girl disappeared into beams of stars that flew away. 

"Lucy." Natsu said with concern upon seeing her tear filled eyes. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She answered with a bitter sweet smile. "I just have some news." 

"What?"

"It turns out I'm going with you."

"You are?" 

"My people and I have decided that I'm ready to go home and start over."

Natsu clasped her hand in a comforting way.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. We all knew this was a longtime coming. I knew one day I would end up leaving this place but I thought if I didn't acknowledge it then it would never happen. How naive we are at this age."

"You're really going to miss them aren't you?" He asked.

"Yes but I'll be okay. They told me that even if I'm not on Tendrou Island, I'll see them every night when the stars are out. They're celestial spirits after all. They're a part of life and nature so they'll always be with me." She wiped her tears away. "Problem is though, I don't know how I'll live once I get back there."

"What do you mean you don't know how you'll live when you get back? You'll live with me...Well maybe not with me but my parents will help you find a home and a family. I'm sure of that. Come on, let's go tell the others."

When once the ship was secure in perfect condition and the children had everything that needed and or wanted packed, Gray made a whistle with his two fingers that summoned all the fairies of Tendrou Island together. The flew all around the ship, coating it in fairy dust which in turn made the ship rise up off the water and into the air. The pirate ship soared over the wind, the clouds, and even the stars. It was an exhilarating experience and some wanted to stay up on that ship forever but upon seeing the clock tower of Magnolia, England the ship went down and set a course to that desolate home from which the three Fernandes children had taken flight so long ago.


End file.
